The Moonlit Shadow – Call Forth the Light!
by EndlessLunacy
Summary: Magic. Royalty. Worth. Kuroko Tetsuya had always been living within that suffocating world, until he finally decided to leave to find his own sanctuary. But when the peaceful world he had built began to fall apart, he has no other choice than to return. However, when deadly secrets are revealed, can Kuroko still discern between right and wrong, or will he end up destroying himself?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:**

All KNB characters in this story belong to Fujimaki Tadatoshi, creator of 黒子のバスケ/ Kuroko no Basuke / The Basketball Which Kuroko Plays.

 **A/N:**

I've always been wanting to write an AU like this, so I hope that you guys would give this a chance and look favourably upon this story!

And did I mention that this story will contain dragons?

Lovely, beautiful, majestic dragons. Aren't they just awesome?

Please enjoy~

xx

(On a little side note, I am healing up well from my first ever surgery. Just a minor one. It would be nice if I could quickly recover fully!)

* * *

Kuroko hummed, his knife moving swiftly as he cleaned the bird he had caught. Beside him, there was already a large pile of prey all stacked up, just waiting to be cooked.

Today's hunting was good. Kuroko would not have to hunt tomorrow or the day after with this pile of food. Feeling really satisfied, Kuroko's knife made quick work of the bird.

"Done!" Kuroko sighed.

He stood up from where he was crouching, stretching himself.

A soft crooning came from behind him. Kuroko turned his head, and smiled at the large pair of golden snake-like eyes staring at him. Kuroko lifted a hand, and lightly patted the massive head of the beast.

The beast was completely black, except its eyes. The dark colour of its hide allowed it to blend into the dark forest when hunting, becoming nothing more than a shadow. However, in the bright light of the midday sun, the dark black scales took on a beautiful ethereal glow. Yes, scales.

The beast before him had scales, pure black scales that were so hard they could easily cut through diamonds. Those scales were the most fascinating thing Kuroko had ever seen so far, not just because of its colour. They were kind of similar to a cat's retractable claws. When the beast was relaxed, it was perfectly fine to touch it or run your fingers across the scales. However, should the beast become agitated, those scales would stand upright. A single careless touch is enough to rip a hand into pieces.

On all four of its legs, deadly sharp talons replaced its toes. They were thick, strong and large. One could easily tell that a sword was completely useless against such a formidable weapon.

The beast lightly pressed its head into Kuroko's chest, causing Kuroko to stumble back. But he did not fall; he was very familiar with the beast's strength, thus he managed to quickly stabilise himself.

The beast was a staggering ten metres tall, and was approximately 17 metres in length. Kuroko was nothing more than a fly to the beast, yet the beast was always very careful when it was around Kuroko. The beast was one who reigned over the legends of humans, becoming either their ultimate enemy, or their strongest ally.

This beast was a dragon.

A black dragon.

In this time where magic and knights were common, dragons of varying colours occupied many lands and willingly aided the humans.

So far, only five different dragon colours are known. Green, red, bronze, white and black.

Even among the dragons, there were ranks. Green dragons were the lowest, the weakest. And white dragons were the strongest. But there is an exception, the black dragons.

White dragons were regarded as royalty, and black dragons were the villains.

Black dragons were evil incarnate, so they say. They were vicious, killing humans and destroying mountains on a whim. They even killed other dragons that they dislike. Thus, even among the dragons, black dragons were not well received.

Black dragons were removed from the list of honourable dragons, they were nothing more than big prey for adventure teams to hunt down and kill.

But the reason why there were still so many of them was because they rivalled the white dragon in strength. Mature black dragons were even stronger than a white dragon could ever hope to be.

Therefore, when Kuroko had first found a tiny black dragon baby, he was forced into a complicated decision. Five years ago, Kuroko was hunting for prey when he stumbled across a baby black dragon. The baby dragon was a tiny little thing, barely reaching pass Kuroko's ankles. Not only was it tiny, it was clearly malnourished.

Kuroko had ignored the baby dragon at first, choosing instead to carefully scout around the area. Dragons lived in a world where the strong dominated the weak, very similar to humans in fact. Female dragons will often lay a clutch of eight eggs, and the first four to break out of the shell were guaranteed to be protected by the mother dragon. However, for the other four late boomers, it was a different story. The moment they were born, they were thrown into a harsh world of constant battle. The mother dragon would not feed the weak.

Therefore, it was no surprise if dragons were thrown out of the nest by their older siblings. But that also meant that there was a family of dragons nearby. Kuroko had no desire to be killed by a dragon, thus he made sure to search the area carefully before he even dared to touch the topic of what he should do with the baby dragon.

Once discerning that it was safe, Kuroko headed back to the baby dragon and proceeded to start a staring match with it.

The baby dragon stared back at Kuroko without fear. Dragons were extremely wise and had many powers. There was a power that even allowed them to see the future. Of course, a dragon would have to be extremely strong in order to use such a divine power.

Only white and black dragons were capable of seeing the future.

This little black baby dragon was too young for it to learn how to see the future, so Kuroko was a little reassured. At least he was confident that whatever choice he made, he chose it on his own, and was not influenced by the cunning dragon.

The baby dragon was young, but not stupid. Even at that young age, it already knew Kuroko was different from it. It knew that even in its weaken state, if it chooses to, it would be able to kill Kuroko. And it also knew that Kuroko knew what it was capable of.

Eventually, Kuroko heaved a soft sigh. With firm determination, he walked towards the dragon and picked it up. The dragon was startled at first, causing deep wounds – due to its scales – in Kuroko's hands before it calmed. Kuroko did not mind, such a reaction was among the things he expected. Though he was a little surprised at how fast the baby dragon realized the situation.

Kuroko lifted the baby dragon to eye level, and spoke to it.

"I do not know if you are capable of understanding human speech yet, but I simply want to tell you that from now on, I will be taking care of you. You do not have to worry, you are free. Should you choose to leave my side once you have gotten old enough, I will not stop you."

The baby dragon blinked its large eyes.

Kuroko gave the baby dragon a small smile.

The baby dragon suddenly spread its wings, and coincidentally (whether it was really just a coincidence though, Kuroko was very sceptical) the sun shone down on the dragon, causing it to glow.

And the baby dragon began to croon.

A bond was then formed between Kuroko and the baby dragon.

* * *

 **T.B.C**


	2. Chapter 2

A soft growl reeled Kuroko back from his memories to the present.

The dragon was staring at Kuroko, eyes wide with concern.

The forest suddenly came alive, and animals were fleeing in all directions. Though the dragon's growl was soft and gentle, it was enough to scare the living daylights out of all the forest animals. They instinctively ran as far away as they could.

Kuroko sighed. They would be back soon anyway. For some strange reason, animals were all fond of Kuroko, and would often draw as close to him as they could get. But with a dragon as a companion, the animals stayed a considerable distance from Kuroko, though they were never very far away.

"I'm alright. I was just remembering things from the past." Kuroko said, stroking the dragon's head.

 _Remembering?_

The dragon's voice invaded Kuroko's mind with a question. Though the dragon's voice was mostly genderless, but Kuroko could detect a hint of what seemed to be a male's voice. The black dragon, as massive as it was, was still not matured yet. It would grow even more, get stronger, and then it would undergo 'maturation'.

No one knows just what happens during that process, because the dragons would often fly off without warning, and then return completely changed. No knight was ever successful in tailing the dragons, how was it possible for a mere human to win against the king of the skies? So rumours spread that perhaps the dragons would leave the human world to go back to their nest; back to the world where they came from.

The matured dragons would speak in fluent human language, and even give wise advice to the humans (when they chose to). And there was a sudden wisdom in their eyes that young dragons did not have.

However, matured dragons would also take on a drastic change emotionally. From the view of humans, it was something negative but no one knows what the dragons truly think.

Because matured dragons would lose nearly all their emotions and become detached from the humans.

The dragons who were raised in the palace may choose to stay there once they matured, but they refused to let anyone ride them. A dragon and knight pair may have had a close bond before, but all that disappears once the dragon undergoes maturation. To them, humans become nothing more than ants swarming around their feet.

They were not violent towards humans, but they were not concerned about them either.

It was simply complete indifference.

That was why there was no such profession as a Dragon Knight. The highest rank was a Royal Knight.

But white dragons were different. White dragons only served the royalty, only the King or Queen and their direct descendants may ride on a matured white dragon. For a long time, this behaviour has always sparked suspicions about the royal family though no one would willingly speak on the matter.

Kuroko softly exhaled, frowning.

A questioning growl and a slight nudge brought Kuroko out of his musings. He blinked, and chuckled as he nodded his head.

"Ah yes, I was just recalling about the first time I met you."

The black dragon blinked its eyes, and bobbed its head, an imitation of a human's nod. Kuroko had tried to break that habit numerous times because the supposedly fearsome black dragon looked completely comical when it did that!

Kuroko groaned softly.

"Did I fail to raise you well?" Kuroko murmured, full of grief.

The dragon tilted its head to the side, yet another imitation.

Kuroko grunted.

"…Let's eat. The meat is ready, it just needs to be cooked."

 _Meat!_

The black dragon happily tossed its head from side to side.

Kuroko carefully arranged the raw meat on large leaves in a row. With a short incantation, fire burst from his hands and rapidly cooked the meat. As Kuroko watched the meat cook, unwanted memories began to surface.

* * *

X

* * *

Kuroko was from a family that served and protected the emperor, and they took great pride in their jobs. They were of the highest rank; the Royal Knights.

Generation after generation, everyone from Kuroko's family were born with great strength and a natural talent for the sword. Even the females in the family were all admired knights. The emperor also greatly favoured Kuroko's family, so much that he even gave an order that all mothers or would-be mothers from Kuroko's family were to rest for a minimum of six years.

He would only allow them to go back to their positions once their child had reached five years of age. The emperor had declared that children were important, and their parents had to spend as much time as they could with them. The emperor even allowed the generations of young children from families of Royal Knights into the palace to play. Even if they accidentally broke a priceless vase or a painting, the emperor would only laugh heartily and gently consoled the fearful children.

As children, consistently being forgiven no matter what they did would result in dire consequences. So the parents would often scold their child harshly when they were in their own homes. This way, the children did not become overly spoilt.

But there was a secret among the Royal Knights and those who personally served the emperor. Generation after generation of knights came and went, but the emperor never changed. Rumour has it that the emperor had formed a contract with the strongest of all dragons; the white dragons.

Of course, that was excluding the black dragons.

The emperor's life was tied to that of the white dragons. And that the dragons had no other choice than to obey him.

Dragons live for a very long time; no one knew when they first appeared, just that when humans came into existence, dragons were already there.

Thus, if the emperor's life really was tied to the white dragons, that would make the emperor thousands of years old. On the death bed of a mage who protected the emperor, he had revealed that the emperor had in fact changed three times. But the appearance and the personality of the next emperor had always, suspiciously, remained the same.

The people did not mind, because the emperor was always kind and fair.

When he was a child, Kuroko loved to explore the palace.

The plush carpet lining the halls that made it easy to run around barefoot, the colourful tapestries against pure white walls, and the sparkling gold ornaments that told of endless wealth. All these attracted children who loved bright colours, and Kuroko was no exception.

But Kuroko had a strong, mischievous streak that could hardly be contained. His lack of presence made it easier for him to sneak into places that they were not allowed in. Even though his weak strength and presence greatly worried his parents, but back then they had simply passed it off as Kuroko being young.

Kuroko had snuck into the palace at five years of age, well okay, he was still four years old but it was only two more weeks till his birthday, therefore Kuroko considered himself as five years old. He had ran around the palace grounds wildly, searching for something that he could take from the palace, present it to the emperor and demand it as a birthday present.

Kuroko did not fear the emperor after all. To him, the always smiling emperor was kind and gentle.

It was that day that everything changed.

Kuroko had somehow strayed into a secluded corner of the palace. The entire atmosphere was completely different. There were no plush carpets, only painfully cold tiles covered the halls. The air was stale, making breathing difficult. And the place was plain and dreary. It was so quiet that Kuroko's footsteps seemed to amplify the strange stillness of the atmosphere. Kuroko was barefoot; he had taken off his shoes earlier. And yet, his footsteps were astoundingly loud on the cold tiles.

Young Kuroko decided to walk on his toes, making sure that every single step was silent.

He tiptoed down the long corridor, only to come across another. And another. After walking down three eerie corridors, young Kuroko finally arrived at a large door that was ajar.

Curious and filled with a sense of a good adventure, Kuroko had entered the room.

The room was completely bare save for a long staircase heading underground. Kuroko lightly descended the stairs.

And for the first time, the young Kuroko had laid eyes on a dragon.

The white dragon had obviously known that Kuroko was approaching… or perhaps not? The dragon's eyes had widened in shock and confusion momentarily, before it screeched at Kuroko, forcing its will into him.

 _Stay back!_

Kuroko immediately froze. He did not take a single step forward, staring blankly at the white dragon. The majestic white dragon was covered in fresh – as well as old – blood. Large glowing chains were wrapped tightly around the white dragon. But even so, there was still a soft, soothing glow around the dragon that left Kuroko in silent awe.

Kuroko flinched as he finally registered the voice echoing in his head.

 _What are you? A child of neither human nor one of those creatures, how strange you are._

The dragon asked through mind telepathy, and then Kuroko realized that it was a female voice in his mind. The dragon was female.

 _Young child, why are you here?_

Kuroko shrugged his tiny shoulders, he was unsure why he was here. He was just curious.

The white dragon blinked her eyes in understanding.

 _Curiosity is dangerous, young child. Do not take a single step forward, there is a strong magical barrier. Turn around, and go back home._

Kuroko gasped. Could the dragon read his mind?

The dragon chuckled, though her laughter sounded hoarse.

 _Yes, I can read your mind. You are only a young child after all. There are no barriers around your mind._

Kuroko was confused. What was the dragon talking about?

 _You are such a strange being. You don't fit in anywhere, but that also makes it hard for you to be traced. I've decided, you will be of use._

The dragon quickly pulled out one of her white scales with her mouth, and threw it to Kuroko. On reflex, Kuroko caught the scale. It cut into his tiny palm, drenching the white scale red. And then the scale sank into Kuroko's palm, the cut healing over where it disappeared.

The dragon watched satisfactorily as the scale vanished.

Suddenly, the dragon stiffened. Then she immediately ordered Kuroko to leave.

But Kuroko did not move. He did not understand.

 _Young child, bring yourself out of your daze and leave immediately!_

Kuroko found his body taking a step back involuntarily.

 _Leave! Never come back!_

The white dragon roared at him.

Kuroko spun around and started climbing back up the stairs. The white dragon's words sank into Kuroko, becoming an order he could not disobey.

 _Oh no, that man is approaching too fast. It's too late now, you can't go that way. I will help you, quickly leave this place._

Without warning, Kuroko found himself lifted up, and tossed out a window. Unknown sceneries flashed by him.

The white dragon's voice resounded in his mind.

 _Be wary of the emperor, young child. He is not what he seems to be._

…What do you mean?

 _We, the white dragons, are chained to that despicable man. Free us!_

A sudden storm of voices flooded Kuroko's mind. And then Kuroko's mind was assaulted with images of the past.

 _For now, I will guard these memories. You are still too young. When the time has come, I will return them and everything will be revealed to you then. Be safe, pitiful non-human child._

Right before darkness claimed him, Kuroko thought he saw the figure of the emperor entering the place where Kuroko was just a moment ago. And before his fading eyesight, Kuroko watched as the emperor brutally stabbed a sword through the dragon's chest, digging out her heart.

And then his vision faded completely.

* * *

X

* * *

The next time Kuroko woke up, he was back home, in his room with no memory of what happened that day.

From then on, Kuroko was unable to enter the palace. He did not know why, but he would be stopped. Not by the guards or the Royal Knights, but rather, his very own body would just stop moving.

Kuroko could only turn back around, and never again could he set foot in the palace.

And things only went downhill from there. When Kuroko's training to be a knight started at the young age of eight, over a period of five months, he had already drove many sword instructors insane. They told his parents over and over again that it was impossible for Kuroko to be a knight.

The knights all looked down on Kuroko, while the mages were ecstatic. Never before had they seen anyone who had such strong affinity for the elements. The mages pestered Kuroko's parents, saying that should Kuroko be a mage, he would be the strongest mage in history.

But Kuroko's parents refused to let Kuroko be a mage. To them, mages only existed because they were completely useless in everything else. Mages did not deserve respect from the knights. After all, they never fight at the frontlines, only staying at the back which was what they deemed as a cowardly behaviour.

Though they refused, they had also given up hope.

They no longer expected anything from Kuroko, now they were only hoping for their second child to not turn out like the first.

Eight-year-old Kuroko stared at the child in front of him. His little brother, five years younger. Kuroko was not stupid, by calculating their ages, it seemed that Kuroko's parents were already prepared for Kuroko to become a failure. Kuroko took great care of his younger brother, but when the emperor permitted his brother to play in the palace, Kuroko did not go along.

At first, his brother had cried miserably, wanting Kuroko to follow him. Kuroko would reject him as gently as he could. Eventually, perhaps Lady Luck was watching over Kuroko's brother, he managed to make friends with children from the other families of Royal Knights.

Kuroko's brother no longer called for Kuroko, instead, names of people Kuroko did not know would make up the contents of his stories. Kuroko could see the relief on his parents' faces when Kuroko was no longer mentioned. They had feared that whatever it was that made Kuroko so useless would rub off his younger brother.

They were overjoyed when they saw the strength and talent with the sword within Kuroko's brother.

Now, Kuroko was nothing more than a hindrance to his brother's growth. Because his brother was oblivious to their unease whenever he was with Kuroko. So Kuroko chose to take matters into his own hands.

Three days after his thirteenth birthday, Kuroko packed up his things and left home. He brought with him a few changes of clothes, a small knife, lots of water and his bow and arrows.

Kuroko was not skilled with the sword – okay, he absolutely sucked at it – so at one point, he had tried a change of weapons. Taking up archery instead.

Surprisingly, Kuroko was able to handle archery without much trouble. He secretly began to train himself in archery, until he was capable of hitting the target dead centre while on horseback. In the forest, it would be easier for Kuroko to hunt down prey with his arrows. And with his skill over fire, Kuroko could easily sustain himself.

But it was not guaranteed that he could find water, so water was more important.

Lugging his rather heavy backpack, Kuroko left his home.

Leaving behind only a piece of paper that told his parents that he was leaving, and not to look for him.

* * *

 **T.B.C**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:**

Thank you for all your supportive reviews! They keep me going! (:

* * *

A sudden cold breeze startled Kuroko, and he jumped up.

A reprimanding growl sounded to his side, and Kuroko blinked at the annoyed dragon. With a flicked of its tail, the dragon directed Kuroko's gaze to the meat. Burnt meat.

"Ah…"

Kuroko lightly scratched his face in embarrassment. One of the abilities that Kuroko discovered the black dragon had was the control over water. Seems like Kuroko was too distracted, resulting in having the dragon cool down the fire.

"…It's only a little burnt! It's still edible, just trimming off the sides and it should be alright."

Kuroko inspected the meat, and then turned to the dragon.

The black dragon was clearly annoyed, it preferred mostly rare meat if the meat is to be cooked, but it would also often eat its prey raw.

"Come on, the meat will be wasted then. Won't you eat?" Kuroko tried to cajole the dragon.

With a loud huff, the dragon reached down and picked up the largest piece of meat, swallowing it quickly. Its tail flicked from side to side, and eventually decided that the meat was still alright. The dragon then started eating the rest.

Kuroko smiled.

"Looks like I did a somewhat good job of raising you after all, at least you don't waste food even if it may not be to your liking."

The black dragon's eyes flicked to Kuroko before quickly looking away, and its tail circled around where Kuroko was sitting. Any other person would probably scream in fright at being cornered by a dragon, especially when said tail was covered with sharp scales and ridiculously large needle-like spikes. Really, a single casual flick of the dragon's tail would be more than enough to send the spikes tearing straight into the body of a knight fully protected by their armour.

But Kuroko was not afraid. The dragon seemed to adore him anyway, with how it kept its spiked tail end away even as it formed a protective circle around Kuroko, allowing him to eat without worries about being attacked.

Chuckling, Kuroko then ate his own portion as well.

As he ate, his eyes wondered around. His gaze fell on to the little house made from sturdy trees. It was not very large, but was spacious enough for a bedroom and a living room. It was the most impressive thing Kuroko had built with his hands. Of course, with the black dragon's help.

Before the black dragon came along, Kuroko had mostly slept in a triangular hut made from thin tree trunks. He did not have the strength needed to lift heavy tree trunks, so he did the best he could. Three years after he took the dragon in and raised it, all of a sudden, the dragon had dragged back large tree trunks to the little clearing where Kuroko was living.

In only three years, the dragon had grown twenty times the size it was as a baby. It could easily tear down trees without any trouble. Kuroko did not know how it knew to build a house, but with its help, Kuroko managed to build an impressive place to live in.

The dragon slept outside the house, acting like a guard dog.

Every now and then though, Kuroko realized that the dragon would disappear. Kuroko had a feeling that whenever the dragon disappeared, it was in fact learning about both the human and dragon world. After all, Kuroko did not know much about dragon powers since his parents never saw the need to tell him because he was not going to be a knight.

But the powerless dragon would disappear, only to return with abilities. And this power kept growing. From only manipulating water to turning it to ice, and even having the ability to call forth rain.

"I wonder if the day you would leave me is approaching sooner than I thought." Kuroko murmured softly, picking at his food.

Three years ago, it was manipulation of water. Now after two years, the dragon had already mastered how to use lightning, fire, and something Kuroko suspected was the famous 'Dragon's Breath'.

These abilities did not sound very impressive, but the actual truth was terrifying.

For advanced mages, a medium sized fireball would be strong enough to incinerate a few large trees. But the exact same sized fireball produced by dragon could wipe out an entire forest. The difference in power was one reason why dragons were always at the top.

It was like comparing the sun to a lamp.

After all, how could one even attempt to stab a dragon with a sword when said sword would break upon coming into contact with its scales? Things about how one should attack the soft, unprotected bellies of dragons to kill them were complete nonsense.

The only way to kill them was to have a dragon drop all guard against you, when their scales are relaxed, that is when a dragon is at their most vulnerable. It is possible then, to run a sword into their chest which would result in their death.

The underbellies of dragon may look unprotected, but the actual truth was that it was covered with numerous scales! Kuroko knew this very well. When he had played wrestling with the black dragon many years ago, Kuroko had end up with fatal injuries when he carelessly attempted to tickle the dragon into submission from what he assumed was a soft underbelly.

The dragon had panicked; rapidly licking Kuroko's wounds over and over. After a few minutes, the wounds had closed over due to the healing properties of the dragon's saliva. The dragon had then started a massive guilty grovelling towards Kuroko. It absolutely refused to let Kuroko near it, and for a period of time, Kuroko barely saw a shadow of the dragon. Food was constantly left out for Kuroko, cooked to the way he liked. But Kuroko never saw the dragon.

Eventually, Kuroko snapped.

He was merciless, giving the dragon two choices. One, to appear before Kuroko and stop running away. Two, Kuroko would leave, and the dragon would be all alone.

Well, judging from how the dragon was still beside him now, surely one could guess what the dragon's choice was.

Kuroko glanced at the dragon beside him, sighing softly as he slumped against the body of the dragon.

A crooning filled with curiosity met Kuroko's ears.

Kuroko's eyes closed as he smiled contently.

"You know, I will miss you when you leave."

The dragon's crooning took on an anxious tone, and Kuroko found himself nearly being nuzzled to death by the dragon.

Kuroko patted the dragon's head, lighting brushing his fingers across the many horns on its head.

 _No! Not leaving, won't leave!_

The force behind the dragon's voice left Kuroko feeling a bit dizzy.

"You will have to, you know. You will leave when it is time for you to become an adult."

 _No! Don't wanna!_

"Really, you..." Kuroko sighed, "Do you know why even after five years with you, I have yet to give you a name? That's because no human can name a dragon. When you become an adult, a name will be given to you. How so, I do not know. When I was a child, I had heard the knights at the palace talking. They said that when they had tried to call the matured dragons the name they had given them, the dragons flew into a rage so deadly to the world that naming dragons became a taboo. Therefore, they could only wait for the dragons to give them a name to call them by, which was certainly not their true name.

"Between the knights, it has been said that a dragon's true name holds a deadly power. Though I am unsure, I think that perhaps the reason why the dragons guard their true name so fiercely may be because it is one of their weaknesses? A dragon is wise, I'm sure that they would not willingly place something that important into the possession of someone else."

The black dragon thrashed its head from side to side, unwilling to listen but not moving an inch because Kuroko was still leaning against its body.

Kuroko reached up, grabbing hold of the dragon's head.

Kneeling, Kuroko forced the dragon's head down to his eye level.

The dragon whined pitifully.

Kuroko stared hard at the dragon.

"I am not saying you have to leave now, but you will leave one day. The reason why I refuse to name you is because I cannot bare the fact that you would come to hate that name so much after your maturation that you would be willing to kill me."

 _Won't kill! Won't hurt! No!_

Kuroko smiled.

"I appreciate your kindness, but no one knows what will happen in the future."

 _I know. I can see the future._

The dragon suddenly calmed, large eyes relaxing from its previous frenzied state.

Kuroko blinked at the change.

 _I can see._

Kuroko released his grip on the dragon's head.

"You can see? But you are not yet matured, how can you have this ability? All white dragons can only see after they have matured."

The dragon rested its nose on Kuroko's chest, or more precisely, it was seeking out Kuroko's heart.

 _Here. It's warm. Always, from the first meeting. Always warm, will not change. I know._

Kuroko froze.

The narrow pupils of the dragon's eyes started to expand, and a strange light shone from the depth of its eyes.

 _I cannot see everything. But here,_ the dragon lightly tapped on Kuroko's chest, _will never change._

The dragon crooned, the pupils of its eyes shrinking once more.

 _Won't kill, won't hurt, so here will never change._

Kuroko lifted his hand, gently tracing the ridge above its eye.

"…What are you? You are not just a black dragon, are you?" Kuroko breathed.

The dragon blinked, but did not speak.

"At first, I took you in with hopes that I would be able to guide you away from a path filled with evil. I wanted to show the world that not all black dragons are evil, that there was no need to hunt them down."

Kuroko paused.

"But you, from the very start you were different. Baby dragons, even the majestic white dragons, are all natural predators. They would hunt down smaller prey for food on instinct. But you, you refused to hunt. I had assumed that you were too weak to hunt, but even after you grew stronger, you did not make any move to attempt to kill on your own. I had to force you to learn how to feed yourself."

A smile spread across Kuroko's face.

"I really should have known. The moment I picked you up, and when the sun shone down on you, I should have realized that you are special."

The dragon's eyes closed, and a rumbling purr echoed around the silent forest.

Kuroko rested his head against the dragon's.

"Yeah," he whispered, "I like you too."

* * *

Kuroko stared at the black dragon.

Another five years had passed, and the dragon had grown. The sudden slow progress of its growth startled Kuroko, and he had nearly driven himself insane with worry that he had been raising the dragon wrongly.

In the past five years, the dragon only grew about four metres in height and another five in length.

After the abnormal rapid growth of the baby dragon, Kuroko had been expecting another growth spurt, only to be proven wrong. Dragons are truly very mysterious creatures.

And now, Kuroko knew it was time.

The black dragon would constantly stare at the sky, and remain that way for hours. Kuroko knew that the dragon wanted to leave. Every now and then, Kuroko would catch the dragon staring at him for long minutes, and then it would turn its head back to the sky.

Ten years. It had already been ten years since Kuroko found the dragon. Now at twenty-three, Kuroko had been thinking of entering the city once more. Over the past few weeks, there was an inexplicable urge rising from within him. Kuroko wanted – needed – to return to the city.

He did not know why he needed to.

Kuroko was playing with little balls of fire, wrapping the flames around a pebble and attempting to burn it to ashes. Over the years, Kuroko had shamelessly learnt magic skills from the dragon. He imitated the dragon's fire ability, where one tiny fireball is enough to burn down half a forest.

It was nearly impossible to learn the properties of a dragon's magic abilities. Many mages of all levels have tried and failed. Dragons have no need for incantations, but mages are different. To form a strong spell, an incantation is needed to draw the magic circle.

Because the very base of the dragon's magic differs from a human's, it was extremely difficult for a human to learn the skills of dragons. Although Kuroko suspected that perhaps there were a few successful mages, but their achievements were never made public.

Dragons were prideful creatures; they would rather rip a human in half than to ever help humans learn of their unique magic. Kuroko only succeeded in learning because the black dragon had generously decided to help him.

It was extremely powerful indeed, but it came with a cost.

Kuroko could only use this ability three times. Using this powerful magic three times in a row would deplete Kuroko of all his stamina, and leave him vulnerable to attacks. Not just that, but his body would be affected too. The toll on his body was too great, causing fatal internal damage.

Many times, the black dragon had to pull out one of its scales, crush it down, drip its own blood over the powder and force it down Kuroko's throat to heal him from the internal wounds. The scales quickly grew back of course, but the destroyed forest could not grow back as quickly even with Kuroko's affinity with the earth element.

So Kuroko would usually ride the black dragon to somewhere far, far away to practice. The black dragon and Kuroko were very careful to fly high enough that they became nothing more than birds flying through the skies to those below.

They would pick patches of forests that would survive being Kuroko's training ground.

Kuroko would burn down forests, and grow them back. His skills with fire and earth magic had risen to what mages would consider as 'godly'.

Kuroko sighed as the little pebble cracked, piercing the thick silence between Kuroko and the dragon.

He stood up, walking over to the dragon.

The dragon turned its head towards Kuroko, blinking its eyes in acknowledgement.

Kuroko motioned for the dragon to lower its head, and Kuroko happily snuggled into the warm, gentle nuzzles. Running his fingers over the ridge over the dragon's eye, Kuroko wondered if the dragon would react the same way as it had done five years ago once Kuroko told it his decision.

Well, he could only try and find out, right?

"Do you still remember our talk from five years ago?" Kuroko asked gently.

The dragon's entire body stiffened. Ah, so it did.

"You should go. You can't remain as a child forever."

Soft whining came from the dragon, but it did not protest as much as it did before.

"Recently, I have been feeling the urge to go back to the city. I think… these events came at a good time. I will go into the city, and you can leave without worries."

The dragon lightly nudged Kuroko.

Kuroko smiled.

"You know, don't you? The city is too dangerous for you. No one would accept a black dragon. I won't have you risk yourself trying to sneak in with me."

The dragon let its head fall to the ground, looking exactly like a petulant child.

Kuroko kneeled in front of the dragon, stroking the horns on its head and gently caressing the large fangs protruding from its mouth.

Staring into the dragon's eyes, Kuroko reluctantly but resolutely whispered the words needed for the dragon to leave.

"Go. Fly, my dragon. Go home."

The dragon's eyes slid shut. Kuroko did not move, and neither did the dragon.

Slowly, the dragon's eyes opened.

They were clear. The dragon had made its decision.

It lifted its head from the ground, raising it to the sky.

"We may not meet again, even if we do, things will be different. But if you still choose to accept me, and I will return it in kind."

Kuroko smiled softly, concealing his emotions behind a gentle smile. It would be a lie to say that he was not worried about the dragon. Perhaps it was selfish of him, but should they meet once more when the dragon had matured, Kuroko was deathly afraid of the dragon rejecting him.

What if the dragon had forgotten everything about their time together? What if it decided to kill Kuroko upon their meeting? Kuroko could defend himself, but he would not be able to kill the dragon, that was absolute. Perhaps, perhaps it would be better for them to never meet again.

The dragon stared at Kuroko – slashing its tail once – and a low growl shook the earth.

This growl was one that Kuroko was very familiar with; where the dragon agreed, though reluctantly, with Kuroko.

The dragon glanced once more at the sky, and suddenly turned its head to the direction of the city. And then Kuroko found himself under the scrutiny of the dragon.

Kuroko chuckled.

"I will be fine. I can make it to the city on my own."

The dragon tilted its head, and if Kuroko's eyes were not playing tricks on him, he could swear that he saw doubt in those large eyes.

"You…"

Kuroko's eyes narrowed.

The dragon did not back down.

"I will be fine, understand? Now go." Kuroko jab his finger in the direction of the sky.

The dragon's mouth opened, and its eyes gleamed. Before Kuroko could move a single step, he found himself seated on the dragon's head. Then he was quickly transferred onto a large tree branch, high up in the air. Kuroko was not afraid of heights; he could always use the wind element to help him with his descend from such a high tree.

What Kuroko was slightly wary of was the dragon's ability to move faster than a lightning bolt. How was something that large actually capable of moving so fast? If he were to meet a dragon who wanted to kill him, Kuroko would end up dead before he could even open his mouth to recite his incantation for his advanced spells.

It's no wonder mages were absolutely terrified of dragons. Even veteran knights were very wary of going against a dragon, especially with their incomprehensible fast speed.

The black dragon crooned at him, large eyes blinking in tender affection at Kuroko.

A smile made its way onto Kuroko's lips.

"Goodbye."

The dragon spread its wings, flapping them once. The forest debris was caught in a miniature tornado. Kuroko held on tight to the tree, preventing himself from flying off. Ah. Usually, the dragon would only spread its wings when Kuroko was on its back, where he was safe from the assault of the crazy gust of wind coming from the dragon's wings. It's good that the dragon had the foresight to bring Kuroko to higher ground else he would end up dead if he slams into a tree from the force of the wind.

Smiling, Kuroko watched as the dragon took off, disappearing with unimaginable speed.

Once the dragon was gone, Kuroko jumped from the tree, using wind magic to get him safely to the ground.

Kuroko entered the cabin, clearing it of all his belongings.

He carefully stored away the black dragon scales and a little vial of dragon's blood at the very bottom of his backpack. The dragon had insisted for Kuroko to take it many months ago, but he had yet to use them. They could revive him when he was alone and near death from using powerful magic.

Without looking back, Kuroko started walking, a soft incantation spilling from his lips. Once Kuroko was relatively far away, a large red magic circle appeared under the cabin.

A soft, muffled explosion.

The cabin that Kuroko had stayed in burst into flames, burning down everything. But the grass and all life around it remained unaffected. The ashes blew in the wind, erasing all traces of where he had lived with the dragon.

"Now then, to the city it is."

* * *

 **T.B.C**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:**

To Akakuro babe: Yes, the Generation of Miracles will start making appearances from here on.  
And as for the emperor's identity... I'm not telling yet~ *giggles*

Also, a thank you to those who took the time to review!

* * *

Kuroko stared at the crowd before him.

After being away from civilisation for such a long time, Kuroko was rather disoriented by the sheer number of people in the city.

It really did not help that half the plaza was full of merchants shouting at the top of their lungs to gather customers. Kuroko silently slipped between the gaps in the crowd, making his way to the huge fountain in the middle of the plaza.

A tired sigh escaped his lips when he managed to successfully secure himself a spot around the fountain. He sneakily refilled his empty canteens with water from the fountain. The water should be clean, if the bright blue gem encased in a magic circle on top of the fountain was any indication.

To be honest, Kuroko was rather surprised at himself. He was still able to remember the lessons from ten years ago, when the mages back then had pushed everything they could teach onto Kuroko. Even though Kuroko's parents did not agree to have him learn magic, the mages were absolutely not going to give up such a rare talent.

They had shoved books after books onto Kuroko, demanding that he memorise them all.

And Kuroko did.

Staring at the blue gem, Kuroko actually felt grateful for the teachings of those mages.

A bright, cheerful voice calling out for customers to his left had Kuroko turning his head instinctively. His gaze was met with overly bright blond hair and equally bright smile.

The person was dressed in simple and stylish clothes. Too stylish for a merchant, really. But the person was extremely good looking. Kuroko's silent declaration of the merchant's good looks was backed by squealing females. From housewives to young girls, they were all captivated by the merchant.

With the merchant's bright smile, Kuroko's already tiny presence was erased even more.

Many times, Kuroko was nearly shoved into the fountain by those who were eager to get as close as they could to the merchant. Mildly irritated and extremely uncomfortable, Kuroko decided to slip into the merchant's booth for shelter.

The merchant was completely oblivious to his presence (which was expected). Now safe from eager ladies, Kuroko happily watched as one by one, the items out on display was quickly being sold.

They were – very obviously – buying the goods just for a chance to speak with the handsome merchant.

Time passed, and Kuroko took note of the setting sun.

This merchant was extraordinary indeed. Housewives stacked containers after containers filled to the brim with food for the merchant to his side, which meant that the merchant did not need to leave his booth for food. Kuroko stole a couple of sandwiches and meat from the containers.

He really should not be doing this, he did feel guilty for taking it but from Kuroko's point of view, there really was too much food. Wasting food was one of Kuroko's taboos – trained by his years in the wilderness – so helping the merchant finish some food was perfectly fine.

When the merchant finally closed his booth for the day, and majority of his fans have disappeared, Kuroko shifted back to where he was seated previously. He waited.

The merchant let out a satisfied sigh, yet his face was a picture of boredom. Such contradictory actions left Kuroko feeling curious about the merchant.

With light taps on the merchant's arm, Kuroko tried to gain the merchant's attention.

The merchant turned his head to Kuroko's direction, and then stared down at his arm. Eyes narrowing, the merchant focused hard at the spot next to him.

"…Um, excuse me?"

The merchant's eyes widened and a shout of surprise shocked both Kuroko and the merchant himself.

"You! How long have you been there?"

The merchant's face changed from mild anger to interest in a split second.

"I did not notice you at all. How is that possible…?" The merchant hummed, lost in thought.

Kuroko only blinked in reply.

With a bright smile, the merchant grabbed hold of Kuroko's hand, shaking it enthusiastically.

"I'm Kise Ryouta. Who are you, little phantom?"

Kuroko paused momentarily. It had been a really long time since he had introduced himself.

…He nearly forgot his own name.

"I'm Kuroko Tetsuya."

"I see! Were you waiting to buy my goods? Such little presence you have, you must have waited a long time. Here." Kise began to open his boxes, laying them out neatly.

"No, that's not it. I am not here to buy." Kuroko hurried to speak. _I don't exactly have any money anyway,_ Kuroko silently thought to himself.

"You're not? Then…" Kise frowned.

"According to your buyers earlier, they said that you were one of the few merchants that would travel great distances to sell and trade your goods. If one wants rare items from the other continents, you were to merchant to go to."

Kise smiled.

"Yes, indeed. I have the most unique items that you won't be able to find anywhere else!"

Kise proudly proclaimed with a dazzling smile. Yet, his eyes were cold. Kuroko had many years of practice reading the black dragon's expression, usually from its eyes. That is why the bright smile of the merchant did not fool Kuroko. For some reason, the merchant did not seem to like his job.

Kuroko did not mention his observation to Kise.

"If you have travelled many places, you must be very knowledgeable. If it's possible, would you allow me to listen to stories of the people from different continents?" Kuroko asked.

Kise blinked speechlessly. He was clearly dumbfounded by Kuroko's request.

"What do you want to know?" Kise asked hesitantly.

"I want to know about the knights, the mages and also about dragons."

Kise tilted his head, eyes studying Kuroko.

"If it's just that, we have knights and mages right here. And stories of dragon slaying too. There is no need to ask me."

"I want to know of the people from different continents. Are the knights the same, or do they have hidden values that they abide by secretly? And the same goes for the mages."

"Hmm."

Kise eyes never once left Kuroko as he listened, and neither did Kuroko look away. He thought he saw a faint hint of annoyance flickering through Kise's eyes before it quickly disappeared.

"Alright. I do know certain secrets, but I don't divulge such information to just anybody. What can you give me that would make me willing to tell you?" Kise smirked.

Kuroko frowned a little.

He did not have money, and there is nothing of interest on him to bribe the merchant with. Except for one. The black dragon scales. But if he handed them over, he did not know how Kise would react to them. He might run as far away as he could from Kuroko, or the reverse may happen.

Kise might attack Kuroko, forcing him to spill about how he had gotten hold of the scales.

Kuroko was no fool. Even though he had been away from people for a very long time, his memory was still clear. Kise was dressed in simple clothes, but Kuroko could still see it. The faint shape of a very defined body, strong arms, and his palms were marked with callous from wielding a sword.

Kise had a very similar body type as the knights who had desperately tried to train Kuroko back when he was a child. Kise was not just a simple merchant, he was most likely a knight as well.

But Kuroko did not know if Kise was loyal to the emperor in the palace, or perhaps some other high ranked person.

"What's wrong? Do you not have anything to give me in exchange for such information?" Kise asked kindly, but as always, his eyes were as cold as they were from the very beginning.

…Perhaps Kuroko could try to talk Kise around just like he had done to the black dragon whenever it had acted like a recalcitrant child.

"Kise-kun, do you like dragons?" Kuroko suddenly asked.

Kise was surprised, but a little cunning smile formed on his lips. It seems he had a rough idea of what Kuroko was trying to do. And he played along.

"Why yes, I do. Dragons are such lovely, majestic creatures. It would not be wrong to call them our god."

Kuroko nodded.

"Do you believe then, that all dragons are good? That even those that have been claimed to be evil are perhaps good?"

If Kise's eyes before were cold, now it was a downright blizzard storm raging in his beautiful yellow eyes. They pinned down on Kuroko so painfully that Kuroko nearly gave up.

"Are you talking about black dragons? Don't you know that talking about black dragons have been considered as a taboo? Do you wish to lose your life?" Kise hissed.

Kuroko was surprised.

A taboo? Since when? Was it the emperor's decision?

"You look surprised. How can you not know?" Kise voice lowered, becoming nearly threatening.

Kuroko hurriedly thought of an excuse, a partial truth is better than spilling everything.

"I left the city for a long time. It is unfortunate but it seems that I had not managed to be updated on the recent events."

Kise paused.

Then he asked, "How long were you away?"

Kuroko decided not to lie about that.

"Ten years."

Now, Kise's eyes widened almost comically.

"Ten years? Such a long time…" Kise trailed off, looking distracted.

Kuroko did not interrupt him.

Kise suddenly turned around, packing up his stuff. Kuroko only watched on silently. Once Kise had gathered everything, he grabbed hold of Kuroko's hand, dragging him off.

Kise was really strong; Kuroko could not stop him even though he had used all the strength he could muster.

They arrived at an old, run down inn.

Kise kicked the door open, barrelling straight up the stairs to his room.

Upon slamming his room door shut, a large magic circle appeared. Kuroko recognised it. It was a magic circle used for silencing. Whatever happens in this room, no one outside would know.

And that was when Kuroko saw that it was not just the door, magic circles appeared everywhere. The windows, the ceiling, the door leading to the bathroom, under the bed. Gold lines suddenly burst from the magic circles, creating a large square in the middle of the room.

Kise dropped his things onto the ground carelessly, and then tossed Kuroko into the square. He followed soon after.

"Do not take one step out of the square." Kise ordered Kuroko, his voice hard.

Kuroko nodded slowly.

Since he knew what the magic circle was for, Kuroko was not as afraid.

"Good."

Kise sat down within the square, motioning for Kuroko to do the same. Kuroko carefully took a seat on the floor.

"Now then, who are you really?" Kise asked.

Kuroko blinked.

"I am Kuroko Tetsuya."

Kise glared, and a broad sword appeared out of nowhere. Kise stabbed the sword into the ground, with enough force that at least a quarter of the sword sunk into the ground.

Kuroko did not move.

"Then tell me, were you kicked out of the city by the emperor or did you leave on your own?"

Kuroko did not know why Kise wanted to know his private information.

But at least, Kuroko could answer questions like this.

"I left on my own."

"Why?"

"I come from a family of knights, because I was not suited to be a knight, I decided to leave my home."

"Where have you lived for the past ten years?"

"Deep in the forest, to the south of the city."

"Alone?"

Kuroko fell silent. He did not trust Kise, how could he reveal such things? He refused to get the black dragon in danger. Even if the dragon would returned as a mature and scarily strong dragon, Kuroko was not willing to take any risks.

"…Yes." Kuroko finally replied. It was not quite a lie since he really did live alone for a period of time, until he found the dragon that is.

Kise surely picked up on his hesitance, but he did not comment on it.

"Is your family normal knights or Royal Knights?"

"Royal Knights."

"Have you ever met the emperor?"

"Yes."

Kuroko remembered meeting the emperor multiple times, yet when he tried to recall the emperor's appearance, a strange fog covered the emperor, turning him into a blurred image in Kuroko's mind.

"Do you like the emperor?"

Kuroko frowned.

At first, he had wanted to agree. But strangely, a lump formed in his throat, making him swallow hard to clear it. And then doubt began to surface in his mind. Why did he like the emperor? He could hardly even recall the emperor's appearance, and he did not interact much with the emperor.

Why had he wanted to mindlessly say that he liked the emperor?

"That, I…I don't know. I don't see a reason for me to favour him, yet there is no reason to hate him either." Kuroko softly said those words, but since the room was completely silent, his words were clearly heard by Kise.

For the first time, Kise's eyes shone. He actually seemed really excited.

"You, were you spared?" Kise questioned excitedly. "You are not under the emperor's influence?"

"What do you mean?"

At Kuroko's response, Kise laughed out loud. He laughed so hard that tears began to leak out of his eyes.

"Wonderful, wonderful! Absolutely wonderful!" Kise shouted.

"…Kise-kun?"

Kuroko did not know what was going on. Why did Kise suddenly become so happy?

"I knew it. I knew you were different from the moment you mentioned black dragons. I had thought that the emperor was playing tricks at first, but I see that is not the case. That emperor is too prideful to have his subordinate say that they did not like him even if it is for one of his tricks!"

Kise coughed, recovering from his laughter. He fixed his eyes on the confused Kuroko.

"So, you say you are not a knight. Then, do you have any other skills?"

Kuroko blinked.

"Magic. The mages have mentioned that I have the highest affinity for the elements that they had ever seen. But I am not a qualified mage, I do not have a certificate."

"No problem. Having a cert would be much more troublesome, since it would mean that you are forever tied to the emperor."

"I don't understand."

"The piece of paper mages receive as a cert is in fact a hidden binding magic. As well as the ID tags that would be given out. Because ID tags have to be on a person all the time, it makes it easy for the emperor to monitor the movements of the mages and knights."

"The emperor?" Kuroko gasped.

"Yes. Since you are not under the influence of the emperor, I shall tell you. The emperor is not what he seems to be."

 _Be wary of the emperor, young child. He is not what he seems to be._

Those words suddenly slammed into Kuroko mind. He cried out in pain, clutching onto his head. Whose voice was that? Why were the words so similar?

"Hey? Hey! Kuroko-kun!"

Kuroko blinked, realizing that he had fallen to the ground. Kise was crouched over him, lightly shaking him.

"Sorry, Kise-kun. I was feeling unwell for a moment."

"What do you mean unwell? You looked completely spooked!"

Kise frowned, helping Kuroko to sit up.

"The emperor… Kise-kun, won't you please tell me about the emperor?"

"Many citizens would say that the emperor is kind, gentle and merciful. But the truth is that the emperor is in fact controlling everyone. Mages call it 'Black Magic'. The emperor is hypnotizing the people, making them worship and serve him. And they would only spread good things about the emperor to any visitors."

"…Why would he? And why are you not under the emperor's hypnosis?"

"I received help from a certain person. That person is really strong, easily releasing me from the emperor's hypnosis."

Kise suddenly pulled Kuroko to his feet.

"Kise-kun?" Kuroko exclaimed.

"You said you are a mage, yes? Have a battle with me." Kise smiled.

Kuroko stared at Kise.

"Come on. Don't worry, you can destroy this room all you want. I want to test your strength."

Kuroko glanced around the room. Kise was insane, yes he was sure.

Kuroko shook his head.

"No."

"It's okay, it's okay. Here, see." Kise pulled out a white charm with a complex magic circle drawn on it. "This here only needs the wind element to activate it. Once it's activated, we will be transported into a barrier. Nothing here will be affected in real life, even though everything may be destroyed."

Kise happily waved the white charm.

"When the barrier is brought down, everything will return to its ordinary state."

Kuroko did not know what to say. Kise handed over the white charm.

"Can you use the wind element? Quickly activate it!" Kise eagerly jumped up and down.

Left without much of a choice, Kuroko did as he was told.

The magic circle expanded, enveloping the entire inn and its surrounding houses and alleyways. Before Kuroko could recover from the large scale magic, Kise was already running towards him with his sword.

Kuroko dodge, rolling on the ground. Kise's sword nick his arm, drawing a thin line of blood.

This was completely unfair! How could a mage win against a knight? Mages need time for incantations, and they can't use a single spell when they consistently had to dodge or block attacks.

Just what was Kise's aim?

Cracks appeared on the floor from the wind pressure of the force of Kise's attacks. The windows shattered.

Kuroko's skin prickled as he glanced as Kise. Kise's bloodlust could be felt a considerable distance away. He was really going all out on Kuroko. …Kise really wanted to kill Kuroko!

Kuroko could only helplessly dodge, gaining more and more wounds.

Blood soon covered the ground.

At this rate, Kuroko would bleed to death even if he managed to evade Kise all the way. Kuroko frowned. Would he really have to reveal one of the skills he had so early? Back when Kuroko still lived with the dragon, he had taken the dragon as target practice.

The dragon would chase after Kuroko, attacking him with claws and very, very, _very_ tiny fireballs, lightning, and icicles. The dragon made sure to never hurt Kuroko badly, but Kuroko did not have to worry about hurting the dragon. The dragon scales naturally repelled almost all kinds of magic spells.

Really, being chased after by a dragon was much, much worse than what Kuroko was facing now. The dragon was a whole lot faster than Kise was. Thus, in a desperate attempt to at least land one attack on the dragon, Kuroko had trained himself to cast spells without incantations.

It was a painful and difficult process, but Kuroko succeeded.

But this technique was only to be used in bad situations, because unveiling this ability may end up causing Kuroko more trouble.

In this fight with Kise, Kuroko had greatly reduced the speed he had so that Kise would not realize anything out of the ordinary. Now Kuroko had to make a choice.

Increase his speed and cast spells at the same time, or maintain the same speed and cast simple spells without incantations.

Kuroko furrowed his brows. He will keep his speed as a secret. He did not want Kise to learn everything about Kuroko, even if that may be Kise's aim with this fight. Quickly dodging Kise's sword, Kuroko sent a normal fireball right into Kise's face.

Kise reeled back with surprising speed, lifting his sword to slash through the fireball.

But Kuroko only smiled.

The sword slashed the fireball in half, but instead of it disappearing, now there were two fireballs. Before Kise could react, both fireballs exploded. Kuroko did not relax though.

Through the smoke Kise's sword emerged, attacking Kuroko with deadly accuracy. Kuroko jumped backwards, and ten icicles manifested around Kise's neck.

Kise finally stopped moving.

He frowned at the icicles. After having the fireballs increase upon slashing it, now Kise was cautious about simply running his sword through the ice around him.

Quickly making his decision, Kise took a step forward.

But that was what Kuroko was aiming for. Distracted by the icicles around his neck, Kise did not see Kuroko preparing an icicle so huge that it was at least twice Kise's height. The moment Kise move even an inch, Kuroko launched the icicle.

And the result was Kise suffering a serious wound from where the icicle had pierced through his abdomen and pinned him to the ground.

"Give up, Kise-kun. With such a wound, you would only have about three minutes before you bleed out."

Kise coughed, and blood flowed out of his mouth. He started chuckling.

"Okay. I give."

Kuroko dispersed the ice.

Even being so critically wounded, Kise was still able to move his arm, searching around in his clothes. He pulled out another charm, but the paper was a pale lavender. Kise pressed his bloodied finger in the centre of the paper's magic circle.

"Heal."

With a bright flash, Kise's wounds disappeared. Kuroko's wounds as well, all his cuts had healed.

"Barrier release."

A soft hum, and before Kuroko's eyes, the broken table and chairs fixed themselves. The mattress that was sliced in half was pieced together. And the cracks on the floor were filled in, all the blood dissipated.

Kuroko blinked at the scene before him. Such impressive magic left him in awe.

Kise pushed himself up, sitting comfortably on the floor. He sent a beaming smile towards Kuroko.

"You're really good! I didn't hear you chant any incantations at all. So you are able to use magic without them, huh. Impressive."

Kuroko's eyes twitched. Kise had really been observing him closely.

"Hey, hey, Kurokocchi! So far you used only fire and ice magic. And I know you have at least a considerable amount of control over wind magic since activating that barrier is actually really difficult! Do you know any other types of magic?" Kise babbled excitedly.

Kuroko frowned.

Why did he feel like he just got played into Kise's schemes even though he had been careful to avoid them? And what was with the sudden nickname? Kuroko had only met Kise earlier that day; does winning a fight against Kise warrant a close bond?

Kise Ryouta, such a strange man he was. Kuroko stared at the man before him.

He hesitantly opened his mouth to answer Kise. He froze when Kise's eyes suddenly widened.

Before Kuroko could react, his entire body was restrained by magic. There was a hard blow to the side of his head. He vaguely saw Kise shouting at someone and then darkness rushed up to meet him.

* * *

 **T.B.C**


	5. Chapter 5

"Will you settle down already? He's fine."

"But he's not waking up! It's already been a day! It's all your fault for attacking him, Midorimacchi!"

"That's because you used the barrier! We assumed that you were in trouble, and since I was the nearest to your location at that time, I was sent to help you!"

"…I just wanted to test him a little."

"Whatever for? Why do you always do such troublesome things?"

"Hey! I had a good reason this time! This boy is not under the emperor's influence, so I thought that maybe he could be an ally."

"Even so, his royalties may lie with the emperor. You need to learn to be more cautious, Kise."

"But, he's really amazing you know! He uses magic without incantations!"

"Without incantations? Has he received training from the emperor's mages?"

"Erm, I don't think so? He said he's been living away from the city for about ten years."

"And you believed him? He could be lying!"

"I used the modified magic circles in the room! If he lied, the magic would have attacked him. But it didn't."

"But you just said that he uses magic without incantations. What if he had secretly changed the properties of the magic?"

"…Oh. I didn't think of that."

"…Kise, you idiot!"

Kuroko stirred awake to voices arguing. Slowly blinking his heavy eyes open, an abrupt silence replaced the loud voices in a heartbeat.

"Kurokocchi! You're awake? How are you feeling?"

Kuroko groaned, turning away from the direction of Kise's voice. He was so piercingly loud.

A cool hand gently rested against his forehand, and the pounding headache assaulting his mind eased. Kuroko glanced up, and was met with a man leaning over him, with a very large frown that seemed to take up half his face. Even his eyebrows were knitted with displeasure.

Green hair and eyes, though the glare from the man's spectacles concealed one of his eyes from view.

The man shifted his hand away, and straightened up. Kuroko noticed that the fingers of his left hand were wrapped with bandages.

"Kurokocchi?"

Kuroko blinked at Kise's worried face.

"I'm fine."

Kise smiled, one of relief.

Kuroko was a little unsure what to make of it. Kise was reacting like Kuroko was an old comrade, even though Kuroko was clearly not. Ten years away from civilisation, had the people of the city changed so much? …No, nevermind. Surely this was just one of Kise's unique personality traits.

"Kuroko Tetsuya."

Kuroko turned to the other man.

"I am Midorima Shintarou. I apologise for knocking you out earlier."

Oh. So it was him.

"We are currently in a different inn near the edge of the city. Would you might answering a few questions?" Midorima asked in a firm business-like tone.

Kuroko nodded.

"Was it true that you have been living the forest for the past ten years?"

Kuroko nodded once more.

"Please answer verbally."

Kuroko raised an eyebrow, but he did as asked.

"Yes."

After a momentary silence, Kise suddenly shot a triumphant smirk towards Midorima who just grunted.

"So it wasn't a lie." Midorima mumbled, adjusting his glasses.

Kuroko stared at Midorima. With a little huff, Midorima explained, "This room you are in currently has at least ten different magic spells spread out. There is no way for you to modify all the magic present in under a minute."

"So, another test?" Kuroko hummed to himself.

Though Kise and Midorima clearly heard him, neither reacted to his words.

"May I ask as to why I was brought here? I believe I only had a small request of Kise-kun."

"A request?" Midorima asked.

"Ah!" Kise suddenly exclaimed.

Wordlessly, Midorima turned to Kise. His fierce stare was enough to get Kise to spill everything.

"Kurokocchi wanted to know about the different ways of living from the people here and the other continents. At first, I thought that he was sent by the emperor so I didn't tell him anything."

At that, Kuroko was now pressured by Midorima's stare.

Without knowing why, Kuroko started explaining.

"I just wanted to know how much things have changed. Because I was away for ten years, after all…" Kuroko's voice got softer and softer and then it trailed off.

"I see."

How strange, Kuroko felt as though he was a child getting scolded for eating snacks before dinner. It usually was the other way round, with Kuroko scolding the black dragon with a single look.

"Are you loyal to the emperor, Kuroko Tetsuya?"

Kuroko slowly shook his head.

Midorima's eyebrow twitched.

"No, I do not see a reason to be." Kuroko hurried to speak. Really, such a strange feeling it was. Was Midorima using magic on him?

"Is that so? Then, is what Kise had about you coming from a lineage of royal knights true?"

"Yes. For generations, my family has always been serving as direct royal knights of the emperor."

Midorima frowned.

"If that is so, are stories about how the emperor allows young children into his palace to play true?"

"Yes. I, myself, have entered the palace many times when I was young."

"Then how is it so that you are free from the emperor's hypnosis? To my knowledge, the emperor's hypnosis starts from a young age."

Kuroko blinked.

"Did something happen? Why were you able to break free from the emperor on your own?" Midorima suddenly shook his head. "No, that's not right. It is impossible for a child to do that. You must have received help."

Kuroko was suddenly slammed against the wall, a traditional Japanese sword pointed at his throat.

 _A katana._

Kuroko had a fleeting thought of, _'where were they keeping their swords? Midorima-kun clearly was not holding any earlier and there was no sword holder either.'_

"Speak, Kuroko Tetsuya. Who was it that had aided you?" Midorima hissed.

"I do not know. It is only recently that I even realised anything about the emperor's evil deeds, therefore I am unable to answer you." Kuroko spoke calmly, without any fear of the sharp sword threatening him.

Doubt flashed across Midorima's face, and his grip around the sword relaxed momentarily. And then Kuroko was released from the magic pinning him against the wall. Midorima shifted his sword away, and then it just _disappeared._

What was that? How was that possible?

Kuroko stared at where the sword had vanished from Midorima's hands. He had never seen magic like that.

All this while, Kise was just silently watching the exchange between Kuroko and Midorima. He did not move to help even when Midorima looked ready to slice Kuroko in half. Well, Kuroko did not expect Kise to help. Those two were clearly comrades so whatever Midorima decided to do, Kise would not step up to help Kuroko.

"Do you really have no idea at all? Perhaps there is a hint within your memories?" Midorima urged.

Kuroko started shaking his head, and then paused.

How much should he trust these two? What if they were the ones who were actually evil instead of the emperor? But they didn't seem evil…What should he do?

Hesitantly, Kuroko said, "I cannot recall how the emperor looks like in my memories. There is a fog of sorts covering his appearance whenever I try to remember."

"A fog?" Midorima actually looked surprised.

"Yes, the appearance of the emperor is blurred in my mind."

"Then, what about his face? Have you looked into his eyes?"

"I do not know. Perhaps I may have seen it before. But now, no matter how much I try, there is something blocking me. I can only see a blurred outline of the emperor, and there are absolutely no memories of how the emperor looks like."

"Kurokocchi." Kise was suddenly on the bed, crawling towards Kuroko. His face was so serious that Kuroko felt a little uncomfortable. "Kurokocchi, how are you sure that that is the emperor in your memories? What if it is someone else?"

"But his clothes…those clothes looked really expensive and something only royalty would be allowed to wear. And the white dragons on his clothes are very clear."

"…White dragons?" Midorima's eyes widened. "That's right, the emperor does keep some white dragons within the palace."

With rapid speed, Midorima removed the bandages around his fingers. And then he rested his fingers on Kuroko's forehead. A cool sensation enveloped his mind.

It was pleasant, like his mind was being calmed. But then the sensation increased, and soon enough, it became a biting cold that Kuroko could not get away from. His body refused to obey him, arms remaining slack on the bed.

Colder and colder, Kuroko's mind was gripped in a painful chill. He wanted to cry out, but he could not muster a single sound. Tears silently spilled from his eyes in reaction to the pain.

Something was being pulled out.

"This…" Midorima gasped.

With a loud bang, Kuroko was released from the cold. Immediately, his body folded over on the bed and his body heaved with his laboured breathing. He was strangely out of breath even though he was breathing fine just a second earlier.

"Midorimacchi! Midorimacchi, answer me!"

Kise's frantic voice drew Kuroko's attention. With difficulty, he moved his head to the side.

Midorima was sprawled out on the floor, body twitching uncontrollably. His eyes were unfocused, shifting from left to right, unable to settle down. And then blood started to cover the ground. One by one, deep cuts started to appear all over Midorima's body.

The final blow was a slash wound appearing on Midorima's neck. That cut was clearly targeting the main artery in Midorima's neck. Kise panicked, and nearly tore his shirt as he searched around. He pulled out a familiar pale lavender charm, placing it on Midorima's severe neck wound.

"Heal! Heal him!" Kise shouted desperately.

The charm glowed, and the wounds on Midorima disappeared.

"Midorimacchi?" Kise lightly, gently, shook Midorima.

"…Not enough." Midorima's weak voice sounded. "Kuroko…his blood, he is the only one that can stop this." Right after that, the wounds once more appeared on Midorima and his body began to spasm violently.

Kise whipped around, staring at the exhausted Kuroko on the bed.

"Heal him!" Kise demanded.

"I don't how know to." Kuroko whispered.

"Midorimacchi just said that only you can heal him. So hurry!"

Having the dreadful wound once more appearing on Midorima's neck, Kise quickly pulled out another charm.

"But Kise-kun, I do not know healing magic."

"…Your…blood…" Midorima panted, once the magic from the charm took effect. "Kuroko, …drip your blood… onto my wounds."

Kuroko forced his body to move, and Kise came over to help him. Kise was practically carrying Kuroko over to Midorima.

Without waiting for Kuroko's permission, Kise made a quick slash across Kuroko's palm and dripped his blood on the fresh wound on Midorima's neck. The moment Kuroko's blood touched the wound, a bright light flashed.

* * *

x

* * *

Kuroko blinked, looking around him.

He was no longer in the room, Midorima and Kise had disappeared. There was nothing but white around him.

A sudden movement in front of him had Kuroko turning his head.

Something very large was moving, and Kuroko was extremely familiar with the creature in front of him. It was a dragon. A white dragon. It was nearly identical to the black dragon, except for the lack of both the massive fangs and the many horns on its head.

The black dragon Kuroko had known had fangs so large that they grew out of its mouth, much like a sabretooth cat. But the black dragon had seven more pairs of fangs as compared to a cat; four from the top jaw, and another four protruding from the lower jaw. Overall, the black dragon had looked really menacing.

However, this dragon did not have any.

The white dragon's eyes opened.

As Kuroko stared into the eyes of dragon, a sense of familiarity suddenly hit him. Had he met this dragon before? The white dragon took a few steps forward, and gently rested its head against Kuroko's.

And then Kuroko was whipped away from that strange, white world.

* * *

x

* * *

Kuroko came back to himself and he blinked uncomprehendingly at the splash of red in front of him.

And then without his own will, Kuroko began to speak; it was as though someone else was controlling his body.

"Foolish one who attempts to touch upon my seal, I release thou from thy punishment of the White Dragon's Seal."

Kuroko's body went slack, and Kise caught him as he fell.

"…Kurokocchi?" Kise murmured, shocked.

Midorima coughed then, throwing up blood. The wounds began to rapidly shrink. After a few seconds, Midorima pushed himself off the ground; he looked haggard but all his wounds were healed. He directed his gaze to Kuroko who was still supported by Kise.

Silently, Midorima scooped Kuroko out of Kise's arms and place Kuroko back onto the bed.

Kuroko was barely able to keep his eyes open.

Midorima rested his palm on Kuroko's forehead and quietly said, "Rest."

Kuroko's eyes closed and he fell into a deep sleep.

Midorima carefully reached down and tucked the blanket in around Kuroko. He then spun around, grabbing hold of Kise's arm in a firm grip, and dragged him out of the room.

He made sure to close the door quietly.

* * *

"Midorimacchi? What's wrong?" Kise asked, voice low.

Midorima had dragged them to the first floor of the inn, and promptly threw Kise on a couch. This inn was one of their bases, for them to rest comfortably whenever they were out on a mission that was too far away from their home base.

Midorima had been the one to settle the diplomatic matters, which is of course, buying over the entire inn from the owner and then renovating the inside of the inn. Though the outside looked just like an ordinary inn, the inside was instead similar to a house with an overall warm feeling.

Midorima sank into the soft recliner, sighing deeply.

Kise fidgeted uncomfortably. Was Midorima troubled by something so great that it was difficult for him to talk about it? And also, Kuroko. Those words that he said earlier… why was he suddenly not able to remember them clearly? But…he had a feeling that they had somehow landed themselves into something bad.

That… Was that his fault? Because he had been the one to initiate everything…

Kise curled up on the couch, feeling miserable.

"Kise, you really do such troublesome things." Midorima suddenly grumbled.

Kise flinched. "Sorry. Sorry, Midorimacchi."

Midorima sighed again.

"Do you remember what Kuroko said just before he collapsed?"

Kise frowned, trying hard to recall.

"I can't seem to remember much. It's like someone is trying to erase my memory. But I do remember a few words very clearly." Kise paused and then slowly continued, "White Dragon's Seal."

Midorima nodded.

"The reason why you can't recall how is because of the white dragon. It seems the white dragon has yet to approve of you."

"What do you mean, Midorimacchi?"

"I met the white dragon when I was attacked by her. She spoke to me. I can remember very single one of her words simply because it is to serve as a warning to me. "

"She? The white dragon is female?"

"Yes. She said that I should know my place and that if I try to attempt to forcefully break the seal she placed on Kuroko, this time, she would not spare me. Even if Kuroko is against it, she would still kill me. It is a given that white dragons have the ability to foresee the future, but as for altering memories…"

Midorima sighed, "I think only a handful of white dragons have that ability, and all of them are white dragons who serve the emperor. For Kuroko to come into contact with one…"

"But why is there a seal on Kurokocchi?"

"I think, there must be something important within Kuroko's memories. Kuroko and the memories that the white dragon is guarding might be the final piece we need in order to defeat the emperor. But we can't break it forcefully, we can only wait until the white dragon deems Kuroko ready to deal with the memories."

Midorima removed his glasses, massaging his temples.

"What about _him?_ Will he be able to break the seal?" Kise inquired.

Midorima fell silent, thinking hard. After a while, he shook his head.

"I don't know. Perhaps hemay be able to. But the risk is great, because white dragons hate dark creatures after all. In the worst case scenario, he would end up disintegrated by the white dragon's divine powers."

Kise frowned. "Then, it is better if we do not take the risk." He sighed.

"Is there no other way?" Kise buried his head in his hands.

Midorima only shook his head. Frustrated, he threw his head back to rest on the backrest of the chair, staring up at the ceiling. It was late evening now, and the setting sun drew shadows on the ceiling. As the curtains blew in the wind, the shadows on the ceiling constantly changed.

Midorima watched as the shadows danced, ranging from little box-like shapes to large, intimidating forms. The shadows changed until suddenly for a few moments, it settled down. A large shape was drawn out on the ceiling. It looked just like a dragon.

A dragon… A black dragon.

Midorima bolted up from his seat, eyes wide with realisation.

Kise had also risen from the couch, an instinctive reaction to Midorima's sudden movement.

"What? Is there danger? Is the emperor attacking?" Kise quickly scanned his surroundings, looking for any sign of danger.

"No, we're safe. Calm down, I apologise for startling you when we are so on edge." Midorima waved his hand, gesturing for Kise to sit.

Kise relaxed, sinking back into the sofa.

"Kise. We might have a way to break the white dragon's seal on Kuroko." Midorima rushed out in one breath.

" _What?"_ Kise gasped, face shining with excitement. "How?"

"A black dragon. A black dragon is unfathomably stronger than a white dragon. We can use a black dragon to break the seal!"

Kise's excitement immediately vanished.

"Oh, is that so?" Kise flatly stated. "Then, Midorimacchi, will you go and catch a black dragon? A _mature_ black dragon."

Midorima paused, and then he deflated. He fell hard into the recliner, frowning.

"Catching a white dragon is impossible enough. Even _he_ has trouble fighting against one. And now you want to go up against a black dragon?" Kise harshly scolded Midorima.

"We have no other choice. Unless you want to wait for the white dragon reveal everything? For all we know, it might take ten years or even more! We do not have that much time!" Midorima snarled.

Kise growled, glaring at Midorima. "Even if we do somehow manage to get one, do you really think it would listen to us? If we place Kuroko in front of one, the black dragon would most likely kill him and destroy what might be our only clue to defeating the emperor!"

Kise continued, "Black dragons are evil incarnate, there is no way there would be a merciful black dragon. Even if Kurokocchi believes so, blac–"

Kise suddenly froze, breaking off in the middle of his sentence.

"…Kise?" Midorima questioned.

Kise turned wide eyes onto Midorima. "When we first met, Kurokocchi mentioned something about believing black dragons can be good. Normally, no ordinary person can say something like that right? The thought would not even cross their mind. What if, maybe, Kurokocchi has knowledge of black dragons that we do not know of? What if he has some kind of ties to a black dragon?"

Midorima stared blankly at Kise, eyes wide with shock.

As one, both Midorima and Kise directed their gaze to the second floor, where Kuroko was resting in one of the many rooms.

"We have to ask him." Midorima firmly decided.

"…Yeah. We have to. But…Kurokocchi is exhausted and is sleeping…" Kise was hesitant.

"Tomorrow then. It's late anyway. We need to rest as well." Midorima hummed thoughtfully. "We only have to be careful about him running away."

"But I don't think Kurokocchi will?"

"It's better to be cautious. I will set up a few magic circles to stop him from leaving. Even if he has impressive magic abilities, modifying those spells would take some time. We can stop him then."

"…Okay. But I think Kurokocchi will not be happy to find so many magic spells all around him."

"It does not matter. We have to do what we have to do."

* * *

 **T.B.C**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:**

My mind is a very, very dark and twisted place. Therefore, not everything will be as it seems. And of course, there is always a reason behind something that appears to be insignificant. As thanks to all my readers and reviewers, I will give you a hint!

"Take note of the usage of _italics_ in what may be a seemingly boring conversation."

An easily predictable story is no fun at all, which is why this story also doubles up as a mind game.

So, my dear readers,

Let's play, shall we? *giggles*

* * *

x

* * *

Kuroko woke with a jolt.

He quickly took in his surroundings, and let out a little breath of relief. So he was still in the room of the inn.

Kuroko slipped out of bed, slowly walking around the room.

The floor was clean, no traces of Midorima practically dying due to the white dragon. Kuroko remembered.

He remembered meeting the white dragon in that strange, pure white world where there nothing existed, only him and the dragon. That white dragon, he had met her before. But he could not recall how and where.

But without a doubt, Kuroko knew the gender of the white dragon.

To have a gender, that must surely be a mature white dragon. Earlier, using his body, the white dragon had said something about a seal. So Kuroko was sealed by the white dragon?

Kuroko tilted his head.

Why? Even though he was sealed, he felt no animosity from the dragon. At least, he didn't think he did. So he wasn't afraid. But then, why did the white dragon seal him? More precisely, why did she seal his memories? Can she be the reason why Kuroko was suddenly unable to enter the palace?

And also, was she the one behind the blurred figure of the emperor every time he tried to recall?

With a soft sigh, Kuroko inspected the room.

One, two, three…

…Ten, eleven.

Eleven different magic circles hidden in just the room alone. So back then, what Midorima said was true. Curious, Kuroko opened the door. Standing at the threshold of the door, Kuroko did not take a single step forward. From there, he began to count.

Another five more magic circles surrounded the room.

Were they afraid that Kuroko would run away? To go to such extents…

Kuroko gently closed the door, making sure to not make any noise. Staring out the window, the sky was a deep black. Looks like dawn was still quite some time away. Though there was a lack of a clock, Kuroko was used to it. He had lived in the forest without such things for a little more than ten years after all.

Kuroko felt well rested, and he did not think he would be going back to sleep any time soon. After carefully making his bed, Kuroko began to play around with the magic circles. The black dragon had drawn many different types of complex magic circles for Kuroko to practice on, and Kuroko never questioned how it knew the different kinds of magic circles for mages.

Now, Kuroko slowly took his time studying the magic circles in the room, memorising them.

Once he had made all the magic circles useless in the room, Kuroko debated on touching the ones outside. So far, no one came into his room to check up on him as he steadily modified the magic. So perhaps, the ones with alarms may be the ones outside.

Flopping down on the bed, Kuroko let his mind wander.

Random things and the meeting with Kise and Midorima flashed by. Kuroko did not pay them much attention for now. And then his mind strayed to the thoughts of the black dragon.

Kuroko was curious about how the dragon was doing. Has it already matured? Did it finally become a full grown adult male or has it somehow decided to change genders? In his memories, Kuroko recalled the sensation of the dragon's gentle and warm nuzzles.

Curling up on his side, Kuroko closed his eyes.

He missed the dragon's low rumbling growl, those eyes filled with a gentle light whenever it looked at Kuroko, the playful nature of the dragon, and even the dragon's harsh training of Kuroko's magic abilities. Kuroko had been the one to take care of the baby dragon, and yet along the way, it somehow became the dragon teaching Kuroko many different things.

Rolling over, Kuroko stared up at the ceiling.

Perhaps, once dawn is near, he would deliberately destroy a few of the magic circles outside.

Kuroko chuckled.

He wondered how they would react.

But for now, Kuroko could only wait.

* * *

Kuroko hummed leisurely as he made himself a cup of cold vanilla milkshake. The one thing Kuroko missed the most upon acting on his decision to live in the forest, was this heavenly drink.

He dumped the things he used in the sink – he would wash them later – together with the other dishes.

The dining table was filled with fresh, piping hot waffles and scrambled eggs. Bottles of maple syrup and jams were standing in the middle, waiting to be used.

Midorima and Kise were really slow.

Just as Kuroko sat himself down at the dining table, thundering footsteps rushed down the stairs.

"Ah. Good morning, Midorima-kun, Kise-kun." Kuroko politely greeted them. "Would you care for some breakfast?"

Midorima and Kise had both frozen the moment they saw Kuroko, and now they were expressionless. Was it too much of a shock? Kuroko had carefully side stepped the ranges of the magic circles outside his room and sneaked downstairs to prepare breakfast, only when he was about done did he destroy two of the magic circles.

He could have destroyed more at once, but he did not want to show too much of his abilities.

Like zombies, Midorima and Kise wordlessly sat down at the table with Kuroko. Once they were seated, Kuroko began to eat his meal. His actions were mirrored. Every now and then, Kuroko could feel the gazes of those two, but he ignored them.

As Kuroko happily sipped at his milkshake, he did not look away from his empty plate. Watching Midorima out of the corner of his eyes, Kuroko could see that his entire face was frowning, and the furrow between his brows kept getting deeper. He could pretty much guess Midorima's thought process. To have breakfast all ready and timed perfectly, Kuroko must have surely managed to slip past the magic outside the room.

Magic sensing was a very difficult technique to master. Even rare, talented mages were not able to learn such a technique. Among the emperor's personal archmages, there were only two who were capable of such a feat.

Kuroko knew all this from the advanced magic books – shoved onto him by the other mages – he had read as a child. His photographic memory really was a gift from the gods. And it was also something of a curse. Had the white dragon not interfered with his memory, Kuroko would never be able to be free from the emperor on his own. Memories naturally fade over time, but with Kuroko's photographic memory, he would not be able to forget.

If the emperor uses his eyes as a medium for hypnotising, then every time Kuroko recalled the appearance of the emperor, he would most likely be locked in a vicious cycle of hypnotism.

Yes, ever since he met the white dragon who sealed his memories, Kuroko started to believe Kise's words about how the emperor is not as magnanimous as he appeared to be. But still, he was rather annoyed at how they were treating him like some sort of criminal.

Downing the last of his drink, Kuroko quietly collected the empty dishes and proceeded to wash them. After a few moments, Kise entered the kitchen silently, lightly knocking on the wall to gain Kuroko's attention.

"Kurokocchi? Can we talk?" Kise asked, his voice was soft and tentative.

"Sure, Kise-kun. How about taking a seat in the living room first? I will join you once I'm done washing these." Kuroko replied amicably.

"Okay."

Kise obediently turned around and headed back to the living room.

* * *

Kuroko shifted, leaning back against the single armchair. He met both Kise's and Midorima's hard stare without flinching.

"Kurokocchi, please don't be like this." Though Kise's words were bordering on pleading, his eyes were hard. It was similar to the look that Kise had when Kuroko first met him.

"Whatever do you mean, Kise-kun?" Kuroko returned back calmly.

Midorima raised his hand, cutting off Kise before he could speak.

"Kuroko," Midorima sighed, pushing up his glasses, "I can understand why you would try to be difficult, but this is important. It would be best for you to tell us what you know."

Kuroko only stared back at Midorima silently.

Kise had turned around and was fiddling with something, though Kuroko was unable to see anything from where he was seated.

"Midorima-kun, like I said earlier, I do not have any information to tell you about the black dragons. Why would you even come to that conclusion that I know their secrets?" Kuroko frowned at Midorima.

"Didn't you mention something about black dragons being good? No normal person would even have such a thought. You are hiding something, Kuroko. It's no use to lie." Midorima refuted.

"Kurokocchi…" Kise had finished whatever he was doing, and was now a few paces away from Kuroko. He gently laid his palm face-down on the white coffee table, and multiple soft _clinks_ came from his palm.

Kuroko stared at Kise, a terrible feeling of doom began to slowly freeze him from the inside.

"Kurokocchi, I am sorry. I know you would be angry at me for doing this, but we need the information you are hiding. Sorry, Kurokocchi, but please, please, tell us everything you know."

Kise slowly lifted his palm away.

A lump formed in Kuroko's throat, and his heartbeat sped up. He could not take his eyes away from the items on the table.

This is bad, really, really bad.

 _Shit._

* * *

 **T.B.C**


	7. Chapter 7

"Kuroko, you can't lie anymore. Hurry, tell us everything you know." Midorima ruthlessly cut down all of Kuroko's feeble excuses that he had attempted to stutter out.

Kuroko fell silent. Slowly, he reached forward and picked up the items on the table.

The surprisingly heavy and cold items rested in his palm. Kuroko gently ran his fingers over the black scales. The scales from the black dragon. Kuroko's special black dragon.

"I'm sorry for going through your bag, Kurokocchi. I was very surprised when I found those scales in your bag, but somehow, I guess I was expecting it." Kise stared at the floor as he spoke, afraid of looking at Kuroko.

Kuroko didn't care. He only ran his fingers over the scales again and again.

This was his mistake. If he had not carelessly made such remarks to Kise when they first met, perhaps they would have never found out about the scales in his bag.

"Kise-kun, Midorima-kun, I believe you when you say that the Emperor is not a good man, but I cannot trust you." Kuroko softly spoke, "Because I cannot see any reason to trust you, I am unable to tell you my secrets. I have things that are precious to me, and if possible, I will not destroy them with my own hands."

"Kurokocchi, please! We do not have much time. Even though we may not seem trustworthy, but this is one thing that we absolutely have to know about! Tell us, please." Kise urged Kuroko, taking large steps and looming over the still seated Kuroko.

"I cannot." Kuroko was firm in his decision.

"Kurokocchi!"

Midorima pushed Kise away from Kuroko, and took his place in standing over Kuroko.

"Do you know? A mature black dragon is stronger than a white dragon. Only a black dragon can break the seal on you. Even if we cannot drag out your sealed memories, I am confident in my magic skills to make you talk." Midorima stared down at Kuroko, and his glasses reflected the harsh glare of the lights, giving him an intimidating aura.

Kuroko clenched his fist, carefully wrapping his fingers around the scales.

He shook his head.

Midorima let out a frustrated noise, and then the entire room began to shine. In rapid speed, Midorima chanted incantations and complex magic circles appeared all around the inn, especially where Kuroko was currently seated.

"Midorimacchi! Stop! You can't!"

"Don't interrupt, Kise. This is something we have to do."

"But–!"

"Silence."

Kise was flung back, landing hard into the sofa. His entire body was pinned down by a net of greenish white magic.

Red strings of magic burst from the magic circles and wrapped around Kuroko. The moment they came into contact with Kuroko's skin, the smell of burning flesh filled the room. But Kuroko did not move from where he was seated, showing no signs of pain even as his skin was burning down, the magic eroding it away.

"The sixth method of torture created by the Emperor for betrayers, Crimson Burn." Midorima informed Kuroko, carefully watching his reactions. "Would you trade a secret for a secret, Kuroko?"

Kuroko did not move nor raise his head to look at Midorima.

"…Since I was young, I was granted immerse talent in magic. I do not come from a well-known family, we were just a small medical shop. When my gift with magic was discovered, I was recruited into being among the emperor's army of mages. I have learnt many things thanks to the education given to me, but that is when I also learnt of the emperor's true face. I received help from a man so strong he was equal to the gods, and have been on the run. However, my knowledge of magic is something you should not make light of, Kuroko."

Kuroko suddenly smiled.

"Yes, indeed. This magic binding me is strong. And the rest of the magic circles lying in wait for me to make any move, all of them are strong as well." Kuroko hummed approvingly. "You are strong, Midorima-kun. However…"

Kuroko stood up from the chair, and finally raised his head.

Kise and Midorima immediately tensed. Kuroko's usual blue eyes lightened before their eyes, becoming completely silver. Two pools of liquid silver, filled with barely controlled malice. This was not normal, there was no way anyone with even the smallest bit of goodwill could have those eyes; they were the eyes of cold-blooded killer.

 _And his pupils._

They were a piercingly bright light blue. The blue light seemed to be coming from _within_ him.

Kuroko's body shone with a gentle silvery blue aura, and the magic binding him immediately dissolved. With a loud crack, every single magic circle broke as one. Midorima was thrown back by the force of the magic, slamming hard into the wall. The faint sound of bones snapping accompanied the echoes of the wall breaking.

"However, Midorima-kun, I am not weak either. At the very least, if this is the standard of the emperor's mages, then I believe that I can handle ten of them at once."

The current Kuroko was nothing like a human being. Midorima had never once heard of mages' eyes changing colours due to using magic, no matter how difficult the spell. And never had he seen such a strange aura around a mage. Kuroko looked like a being that did not belong in this world; an otherworldly creature.

Midorima had once felt such a presence once before, when he met the man that freed the chains of the emperor from him.

"…What are you…? And earlier…such a strong magic, but there was no incantations…impossible." Midorima gasped, staring at Kuroko in utter shock.

"Did you not hear from Kise-kun? I am sure he should have mentioned the fact that I can cast magic with no incantations, yes?"

"But this magic is too strong!" Midorima could still feel the tingling of his skin reacting to the magic in the air. "Impossible, to cast magic of this scale without incantations…"

Kuroko hummed, looking thoughtful.

"Is that so? But this is just a simple spell. I suppose I had better be careful from now on." Kuroko lightly clicked his tongue.

"…Anyway, Midorima-kun, you mentioned a secret for a secret, so then, I will tell you this." Kuroko tilted his head, a small smile on his face as he started to speak, "This is one of my defensive magic. It was trained by a certain mischievous black reptile who was extremely, annoyingly, resistant to magic and ridiculously strong. Out of frustration, I experimented over and over, modified countless magic, and created this defensive spell. I managed to avoid meeting with death many times, all on my own."

Kuroko fell silent. With a slow blink, the colour of his eyes returned to normal.

"…Black reptile…The black dragon? Kurokocchi, you really were connected to a black dragon?" Kise was the first to regain himself after Kuroko's shocking declaration.

Kuroko glanced at Kise.

"What do you think, Kise-kun? Why do you still ask when you already believe that I have relations to one, no matter what I say?"

"…"

"What are you?" Midorima asked as he rose to his feet, ignoring his injuries.

Kuroko frowned, and then he shrugged. "I have always believed myself to be talented in magic, that's all. But judging from your reactions, perhaps I might not simply be a person with high affinity with magic. There may be something about me that I am unaware of, for the white dragon to choose me out of everyone else."

A deep crease appeared between Midorima's eyebrows.

Kuroko suddenly staggered, and he barely caught himself on time. Kuroko tilted his head down and stared at the floor. It was covered with blood, his blood. His eyes then travelled to the deep wounds on his body.

Oh, that's right. He had forgotten about the wounds.

"Ah! Kurokocchi! Wait, wait! I'll heal you now!" Kise had been following Kuroko's line of vision blankly, until it suddenly dawned on him that Kuroko was heavily injured.

Kuroko lifted his hand, opening his clench fist. The black scales reflected the light and emitted a soft glow.

"…Um, Kurokocchi?"

Kuroko raised his head, and blinked at Kise. Then, he closed his fist over the scales.

"…I'll be counting on you then, Kise-kun."

"Eh? Ah…okay!"

Kise pulled out the lavender healing charm ( _just how many did he have,_ Kuroko quietly pondered) and Kuroko's wounds were quickly healed, along with Midorima's.

"Hey, Kurokocchi… You did mention before that you do not know healing magic, why don't you learn? You have talent in magic so healing magic should be easy for you to learn, right? Midorimacchi is actually really good at it! He can teach you!" Kise suddenly commented, eyes wide with curiosity.

Kuroko shook his head.

"I have tried. I do not know why but I just can't seem to learn it. It wouldn't work no matter how I modify the magic. My body… my body is a little strange. Ever since young, my injuries would heal really quickly and the speed increased as I got older. Now, moderately deep wounds only need a few minutes or so to completely heal. But I cannot heal fatal wounds.

"Over the years, I learnt how to control when my body heals. In that fight with you, Kise-kun, I was stopping my body from healing all the wounds. Because, if I had allowed so, surely you would be extremely suspicious of me."

" _Eh?_ Really? That's so cool! But why can't you heal fatal wounds?" Kise asked, overly loud and enthusiastic.

"I don't know. That's why when I suffer heavy wounds, I will have to get help."

"Kuroko, are you sure that you are human?" Midorima interrupted, his frown never leaving his face.

"…Yes, Midorima-kun. I do not believe that I am a dragon." Kuroko deadpanned.

Kise sniggered.

"No, I don't mean that. Have you heard of the Dark Creatures? They are special beings, not quite human, yet not quite beast. They have powers that differ from humans, but some are similar as well. Perhaps your ability to heal yourself is in fact from a Dark Creature's blood?"

"I am human, my parents are human. My parents are knights. Royal Knights. They would not sink so low as to associate with such creatures, Midorima-kun."

Midorima shook his head. "Dark Creatures are full of mysteries, but I do know one thing about them. You do not have to be a direct descendant in order to gain their powers. If they choose to give you a certain amount of blood, that blood will enter a person and change them entirely from the inside."

Midorima adjusted his glasses, watching the dumbfounded Kuroko.

"But, this amount of blood is not small. And also, humans would naturally reject the blood. The chance of survival after receiving the blood is one in ten thousand. And then comes the challenge of the mental trauma. The blood of Dark Creatures first attacks the physical body, and then the mental state of the person after. Those who are not strong enough mentally will lose and then die."

Midorima fidgeted, looking to be a little uncomfortable.

"It may be that when you were young, a Dark Creature may have given you blood without your knowledge. How is it that you were unaware of it, I do not know exactly. Maybe when you were asleep? Because mage or not, no human body would heal itself so quickly without aid."

A tense silence filled the room.

"I… I… Please excuse me, I would like to rest for now." Kuroko quickly turned away, running up the stairs to the room he was occupying.

Kise turned to Midorima, his expression grim.

Midorima only shook his head. "We should let him rest for now. If he leaves…then he can leave. Now, we only need to wait for his decision. If he chooses to stay with us voluntarily, that would be for the best."

Kise nodded.

"Then, what do we do now?" He asked.

Midorima's eyes travelled across the room. "…We start by cleaning up the mess. And then we need to head out to scout for danger."

"Understood."

* * *

x

* * *

He tilted his head up, eyes closed as he breathed in the crisp morning air. Opening his eyes as he exhaled, Kuroko blankly gazed at the fast brightening sky, refusing to think of anything for the moment.

Clouds drifted from one end to the other, sometimes breaking up and forming shapes.

He had left the inn long before the sun rose, walking aimlessly towards the nearest forest. He didn't enter too deep; stopping at the first little clearing he saw. There, he had sat himself down on a fallen tree and began to gazed at the skies as he relaxed.

Now, the stillness of the forest was broken by the calls of birds as they awoke, and soon enough, Kuroko could see wildlife moving around. From rabbits to deers, animals slowly approached him. They came within plain sight, but they refused to come close enough for Kuroko to touch. Perhaps they could sense his bad mood? No matter how much Kuroko wanted to avoid it, his mind still continued to stray.

Skittish animals like these would never remain out in the open, and with how common it is for humans to hunt them down, surely they would have recognised the danger humans bring with them. And yet, they still willingly come out of their nest just to be near Kuroko.

It was so hard to accept it, but what if what Midorima had said was true? Was he really not human?

Kuroko curled into himself, burying his head into his knees.

Who was it? _What_ was it? That thing that made him like this. He must have had been born as a human, because his body was too much like one. Dark Creatures can never achieve a complete copy of a human being. They would usually have defects, from a leg that looks too much like that of a bird's or to a face that was barely human.

Which means that one of that _detestable_ creatures had singled out Kuroko, turning him into this hideous, non-human monster. Was his strange lack of presence because of the creature as well? And the way the animals were so overly affectionate with him?

But Midorima said that their cursed blood would cause pain to the human… So why didn't he remember anything of it? He could remember his childhood very clearly; the only thing that held the slightest bit of suspiciousness was that he suddenly could no longer enter the palace. But that was not it, he didn't feel like it was. Rather, a strange feeling that he had somehow 'changed' before he was even able to run around properly, kept pressing down on him.

Could it be? Was that the answer?

Was he already targeted from when he was still a baby?

…Did his parents know?

They must have had known.

They were royal knights, the chances of them meeting those who was given Dark Creature's blood was high. Surely they must have had the linking that something was off about Kuroko.

It would explain their reluctance to let Kuroko gain knowledge of magic. Though he clearly had no talent in the sword, his parents had still insisted on Kuroko learning something that did not fit him and nothing else. All his skills he had were those he had learnt secretly.

And also, their extreme – barely concealed – reactions of fear whenever Kuroko came anywhere close to his younger brother.

Kuroko lifted his head, helpless eyes seeking out the sky desperately, as though within the skies laid the answer he wanted.

"The white dragon…you are in me, aren't you? …Can you hear my voice? Did you know?" Kuroko whispered, so soft that the rabbits near him did not even react.

"Midorima-kun and Kise-kun, both of them seem to urgently need whatever it is that you are hiding. Was there a reason why you chose me to be the one to carry such a burden? No, that's a foolish question. There surely must have been, for a wise white dragon to do such a thing. Which means that you have known, from the very start, that I was non-human."

"… _.."_

Kuroko paused, blinking. Just now, there was something. A strange feeling, as though the white dragon really was listening to Kuroko's words. But she did not speak… Why?

"…Are you there?" Kuroko gently rested his hand on his chest, near his heart. He did not know why he chose that spot out of the others, his hand moved without him thinking much.

"… _.."_

"Why won't you speak?"

"… _I am here."_

Kuroko flinched, wide-eyed.

"Please tell me! Just what am I?" Kuroko begged fervently. He was finding it hard to breathe, the desire for answers seemed to engulf his entire being.

" _Calm down. You are about to hyperventilate."_

"I am fine, please hurry and tell me. I need to know!"

" _Calm yourself, young child!"_

Kuroko gasped as his body froze, and like a doll, his body began to take deep breathes. Kuroko felt like a spectator, his body was obeying the commands of someone else, and he could not stop it.

" _I am here, yet I am not. My physical body is no more, this here is only a part of my consciousness that I had separated from my main body using an ancient magic."_

"You are dead?" Kuroko's breathing stabilised but the feeling of someone else controlling him did not go away.

" _Yes. I have been for a while now."_

"Then, does that mean that you would eventually fade away?"

"… _Human mages have a similar magic that allows one to divide their consciousness, and over time, the consciousness will be destroyed. But dragons are different. What I used on you, an ancient dragon magic, makes it so that I can never fade away."_

"So I am in a similar position like that of prisoners?"

" _If that is how you wish to view it as, I will not stop you."_

"But you can never fade away, I can never escape from you, isn't that so?" Kuroko growled, eyes wild as anger flared within him.

" _As I have said, I will not stop you. If that is what you want to believe, then believe what you must. Your hatred, your despair, your pain, directed them all at me. I will accept it all, so that you will not break. Because you are still useful to me."_

"I'm not going to break! Don't decide everything based on your assumptions!" Kuroko shouted, forcing his body to stand. His voice echoed across the clearing of the forest, startling the animals into running away.

" _You are still so ignorant. You do not know yourself well. Fine, I will give you the answer you seek. Yes, I knew from the start that you were not human. You are a strange being that does not belong anywhere. Neither human nor Dark Creature. That human, Midorima, was not entirely wrong, but he has been greatly misled by the concealed truth. The emperor had in fact, fed many lies to the people, and this is one of them._

" _The truth that you wanted to know, I shall tell you. When a human successfully receives the blood of that vile clan, they would change. Their human bodies would break down, turning them into monsters. And then their minds would also be affected. The change would result in failure of the brain functions, turning them into mindless beasts moving on instinct._

" _There are rare cases of those that survive the change into monsters, but because they cannot accept what they have turned into; to be forced into living the life of an animal, that it ends with them taking their own lives."_

Kuroko hissed, eyes narrowed as he listened. He did not know why, no, he _couldn't_ understand why there was a strange feeling of despair building up within him.

" _However, no matter what, they will have the appearance of a monster. The chance of a human surviving all that and still be able to retain a human appearance, is zero. Do you understand? You clearly have the vile blood in you, but you did not change after managing to pull through all that."_

"Then, just what am I?" Kuroko growled.

" _Kuroko Tetsuya, you are a strange being, one that I have never seen before. You are one who does not belong; something like you should never exist. You can't and will not, fit in. You will never be truly human, yet you will never be a true Dark Creature either."_

The strength in his legs gave out, and Kuroko fell to his knees.

He was barely able to lift his arms to stop his head from hitting the ground in time. On all fours, Kuroko stared unblinkingly at the grass beneath him, filled with an overwhelming sense of horror.

" _What's wrong? Are you still not able to understand? Then I will spell it out for you."_

You, Kuroko Tetsuya, are an abomination.

* * *

 **T.B.C**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:**

Anyone else having problems with ff .net? Or is it just me?

...

Well anyway, enjoy!

* * *

"Midorimacchi! Kurokocchi is gone!"

Midorima glanced up from the book he was reading, watching a frantic Kise run towards him. With a soft sigh, he quickly slipped a bookmark between the pages.

"So he left, as expected." Midorima hummed, carefully closing his book. He had stolen this (and many others) from the palace when he left. They were mostly books on magic creations and highly advanced spells that not many were able to cast.

"But Midorimacchi! If Kurokocchi left, we won't be able to get what we need to stop the emperor!" Kise plucked the book out of Midorima's hands, tossing it onto the couch opposite him and settle his heavy hands on Midorima's shoulders. "What do we do? We need to get him back!" Kise violently shook Midorima, whining loudly.

"Kise, stop– Oi! Kise! Let go of me!"

With a loud boom, Kise was pinned under Midorima's green web of magic. Disgruntled, Midorima adjusted his glasses as he glared down at Kise.

"Calm down. I'm going to take a look in his room."

"Eh? What for? I just checked! There's no one there."

Midorima only turned away from Kise, heading upstairs towards the room Kuroko had stayed in.

"Ah? Midorimacchi! Wait! You can't just leave me like this! Undo this magic! Midorimacchi, don't walk away!"

"…So noisy." Midorima sighed, ignoring Kise. He slowly pushed the door open, and took in the state of the room. Everything was neat; the bed was made carefully, and the window curtains neatly placed into their holders. It didn't look like someone had just recently stayed in the room at all, except for one thing.

Kuroko's bag.

At the corner of the bed, laid Kuroko's bag. A soft huff slipped past his lips as he smiled; one of satisfaction.

"Kise." Midorima called, dissolving the magic. Kise was by his side in an instant, staring into the room and back at Midorima in question.

"What is it that you're looking at, Midorimacchi?"

"Over there, look. Kuroko's bag is still here."

"Oh! I didn't notice that earlier!"

Kise happily barged into the room, picking up Kuroko's bag. "Hey, Midorimacchi, if the bag is here, does that mean that there's a chance Kurokocchi will return?"

Midorima snatched the bag from Kise, placing it on the bed carefully. He opened the bag, digging around for something. When his fingers met something cold and hard, he quickly pulled them out, together with the items.

In his hands were the black dragon scales.

"These are still here. I was watching him earlier, and he seemed oddly attached to these scales. If he treasures them that much, there is no way he would leave them behind and disappear on us." Midorima smirked.

How tempting it was to take them away and use them to control Kuroko.

But he couldn't do that.

Because he had a feeling that Kuroko might really kill him should he attempt something like that. Judging from how Kuroko seemed to have no concept of an average mage limitations, Midorima would probably be killed even after he managed to hold his own against Kuroko. Kuroko was clearly stronger than him, but how strong was he exactly, Midorima couldn't tell. It would be good to have him fight with them, rather than against them.

"Midorimacchi?"

"What?"

"…Nothing, you got all quiet for a while so…"

"It's nothing. Kuroko will be back. I can guarantee that." Midorima threw the scales into the bag, arranging them back into their original place. A soft clink had Midorima pausing, frowning as he dug around.

"What? Did you find something, Midorimacchi?"

"There's something…" Midorima pulled out his hand, blinking at the vial he held.

Kise gasped.

"What is that? The contents are all red! …It looks like blood…" Kise lightly brushed his fingers over the vial. "Why would Kurokocchi have this?"

Midorima carefully opened the vial, sniffing it.

"It's sweet. There does seemed to be a trace of iron, but the sweetness overpowers it." Midorima handed it over to Kise, who appeared equally perplexed by the scent.

Kise studied the vial with a deep frown, "It looks like blood, smells a little like blood, but why is there such a sweet smell from what appears to be blood?"

With a sudden abrupt movement, Midorima grabbed the vial back from Kise, quickly replacing its cover and stuffing it back into the bag. After nearly throwing the bag onto the ground, Midorima sprinted out of the room with Kise in tow, just in time to see Kuroko entering from the main door.

Midorima grunted softly. It was good that he had the foresight to place some hidden magic circles to detect anyone that came near their inn.

Kise let out a soft gasp and started fidgeting with his clothes before Midorima slapped his restless hands away.

"Act natural!" Midorima hissed.

Kise nodded rapidly, schooling his features into one of complete calmness.

"Kurokocchi! You're back!" Kise smiled brightly, running towards Kuroko. Kuroko blinked, looking up at Kise. He seemed strangely lost, the quiet confidence he normally had was nowhere to be found, Midorima observed. Did something happen?

"Ah, Kise-kun. Were you looking for me?" Kuroko asked.

"Yeah! But I couldn't find you!" Kise pouted.

"I see, I apologise. I went for a walk before dawn."

"Before dawn? Why did you leave so early?"

"I wanted to watch the sunrise. And to think about certain things in a quiet environment."

"Oh, then…" Kise tilted his head, studying Kuroko. "Did you manage to do what you wanted? You seem…off, Kurokocchi."

Kuroko fell silent, looking away. His eyes shifted around restlessly, but it didn't seem like he was actually seeing what was in front of him.

Midorima approached Kuroko, stopping at his side.

"Say, Kuroko."

"Hm?" Kuroko replied, glancing at Midorima but his eyes were dazed.

Adjusting his glasses, Midorima spoke carefully, "Would you like to solve a riddle?"

Kuroko blinked, his expression never changing.

"Let's say I have something that looks like blood, smells a little like blood, yet carries an overly sweet smell that contradicts the usual scent of blood. What is it?"

Kuroko tilted his head, blinking multiple times.

"Isn't that just dragon's blood?"

Kise stiffened slightly, going unnoticed by Kuroko. Turning his head, Kise's eyes met Midorima's startled ones, though he was fiddling with his glasses to quickly calm his expression. Neither of them had come into contact with dragon's blood before, it's no wonder they could not recognise what was in the vial.

Midorima coughed lightly, and then nodded. "Yes, you're correct." He mumbled.

"Do you know the uses of dragon's blood then, Kuroko?"

Kuroko turned away, eyes never settling down. It was strange, this Kuroko was too strange. He was clearly out of it, and full of openings that made both Kise and Midorima want to exploit it as much as they can.

"Kurokocchi?" Kise called gently, probing Kuroko to answer.

"Ah." Kuroko sighed, and began to talk. "Dragon's blood? It can heal wounds, even bring one back from the brink of death instantly. And drinking it when you're healthy can increase resistance to magic attacks…" Kuroko softly trailed off.

With wide eyes, Kise and Midorima stared at each other.

This was big news. Over and over again, the emperor had always warned the people that dragon's blood was highly poisonous, even a single drop could kill a mere human once ingested. And there was not a single book that talked about the benefits of dragon's blood. This was something neither of them actually expected to learn about, it was safe to say that they even believed in the emperor's words about dragon's blood, for there was no one to around who knew the truth.

Kise began tugging Kuroko towards the couch, urging him into a seat.

"Kurokocchi, sit here. You must be tired, right?"

"I'm alright." Kuroko lightly replied, but he obediently sat down. Midorima and Kise sat on either side of him, intending to squeeze out as much as they could. Though Kuroko's state was worrying, to them the need for information was currently more important.

"Kuroko, do you drink dragon's blood?" Midorima asked.

"Not really. I would if I am near death. But usually…" Kuroko tilted his head, "my body would reject it."

"Reject? Why?"

Kuroko shook his head. "I don't know. If I were to drink it too much when I'm healthy, I would start throwing up and eventually fall sick."

"Is that the reason for your strong magic then, Kurokocchi?"

"Maybe, maybe not. That brat would sometimes force me to drink his blood even when I am perfectly fine… But I do admit feeling strangely strong for a while after drinking a little."

"Brat? As in… the black dragon?"

"Mm. That brat."

"What do you mean by 'for a while'? You are not permanently stronger?"

"Yeah… It's as though someone gave me support magic. But the effects disappear within a day."

Midorima hummed thoughtfully.

"So the beneficial effects of a dragon's blood only lasts temporarily."

"No, Midorima-kun. If it did, then I would have been dead long ago. If it's only temporarily, then those brought back from near death by using their blood would still end up dying a day later. It is me…I am different. I can be brought back from death, but I can't get stronger using their blood. …That's right…It's because I am a hideous monster…"

Kuroko eyes widened, staring at nothing as he started trembling.

"Kurokocchi?"

Kise grabbed hold of Kuroko's shoulder, shaking hard.

Kuroko jolted, looking up at Kise blankly.

Midorima immediately took over, distracting Kuroko was whatever it was that he seemed to be deathly frightened by.

"Kuroko, why would a black dragon willingly give his blood to you?"

"Don't know." Kuroko shrugged, earlier reaction completely forgotten. "He gave me a lot… usually when I was dying due to extensive magic training."

"Then, Kuroko, did he perhaps, formed a contract of sorts with you?"

Kuroko blinked at Midorima.

"Contract? No, we didn't have anything like that."

"Then why would a black dragon do that? No, it's not just a black dragon. Even green dragons who are of the lowest rank would not do such a thing…"

Kuroko shrugged, his eyes beginning to droop.

"Kurokocchi?"

"Mm. I'm tired."

"Okay, take a good rest, Kurokocchi. I will bring you up to your room."

Kuroko didn't respond, his eyes closing heavily as he fell asleep.

Kise lifted Kuroko up gently, careful to not wake him. As promised, he safely brought Kuroko to his room, tucking him into bed.

Upon reaching downstairs, he was met with the sight of a worn-out Midorima massaging his temples.

Kise settled himself into the couch, sighing deeply. After a while, he spoke.

"Midorimacchi, how much do you think the knowledge we carry are false? We grew up here, we learnt of the world here. What if we were wrong…? Are we playing straight into the hands of that bastard emperor?"

"I don't know, Kise." Midorima sighed. "I don't know."

Midorima stared up at the ceiling.

"We need him. We need Kuroko. With him, he would save us from the emperor's lies. Because, by some stroke of luck, he has escaped from the emperor. We really, really need him, Kise."

Kise nodded slowly.

"Then… Do we first find out just what exactly is wrong with him? For him to easily give out any kind of information to us when he had adamantly refused to speak even a single word just the day before… Something must have happened to him during the time he was out."

"Yes, surely that must be so. Kise, you are better at this, aren't you? Get him to spill what caused his change if you can. I will watch over him, and set up some spells to help calm his mind while you ask."

"Okay. But first… Can we rest?"

"We still have some time before we patrol the area. I'll keep watch, and you can rest. We will switch later."

"Thanks, Midorimacchi."

"Hurry up and sleep."

* * *

Four days.

Four days had passed since Kuroko started acting weird. Kise and Midorima were both at a loss of what to do. Though Kuroko responded to their questions with such scarily innocent honesty, his eyes bore a faraway look in them.

Perhaps that was putting it too nicely.

Rather than 'faraway', the best way to describe him was 'dead'. He would eat if Kise fed him, but once left alone, he would only close his eyes and sleep for long hours. His reactions were more based on instincts than anything else.

Kise may pull weird faces or attempt to tell Kuroko numerous jokes, and Kuroko would sometimes present the appropriate reaction; a smile.

But it was a completely empty smile that chilled Kise to the bone.

And to make matters worse, Kuroko would shut himself away whenever Kise tried to get him to talk about the day he had left to go outside on his own. Kise was used to human relations, dealing with smitten ladies and jealous men was an easy feat. But Kuroko's current state was one that Kise had no experience in at all.

A walking, talking human doll.

Say the wrong commands and it shuts down on you.

Kise sighed, stretching out his limbs. He threw his head back, staring up at his room's ceiling.

"Damn, what is it that I need to do to get him to talk? And Midorimacchi is not even helping me!" He moaned pitifully.

Tousling his hair in frustration, Kise flung himself onto his bed, screaming into his pillow. Turning his head to the side, Kise stared at the sky filled with bright stars through his open window.

"Kurokocchi… Just what is it that caused you to be like this?"

* * *

The loud, piercing roar of a dragon ripped through the silent night, sending both Midorima and Kise jumping out of their beds and racing straight for the door.

A sword was clutched tightly in Kise's hand as he scanned the area outside their inn.

Midorima was alert as well, though he was rapidly processing the roar he had heard. Minutes passed and nothing else happened. Kise softly exhaled as they both retreated back into the inn.

"What was that?" Kise grunted.

Midorima hummed. "Did you noticed, Kise? The sound did not come from the direction of the palace. Though there are countless dragons living away from the palace, that roar bore a deep, gravel like tone to it. It is a characteristic of high-ranked dragons. In other words, only white and black dragons."

Kise flinched. He did not like either of those dragons. They were too troublesome to deal with.

Midorima headed to the kitchen as Kise sank into a couch, dispelling his sword.

With the sword gone, an earring appeared on his left ear. This was a special magic created by _that person,_ where their weapons are hidden within simple accessories. This way, they could carry their weapons on them at all times, even at areas where weapons were prohibited.

Kise's was in the form of an earring, while Midorima's was a thin ring.

Kise sighed, but before he could close his eyes, Midorima returned and promptly shoved a hot cup of tea into his face. Kise yelped, grasping the cup tightly while his other hand massaged his burning cheek.

They quietly sipped at their hot drinks for a moment before Kise spoke.

"Midorimacchi…"

"What?"

"You know, when we questioned Kurokocchi a few days ago… Didn't he call the black dragon a 'brat'?"

"Hm. He did."

"Kurokocchi addressed such a fearsome dragon in a manner that no one else would even dare to think of… And that roar we heard just now, do you think there is a relation?"

Midorima paused, frowning hard.

"Perhaps, there may be. There are too many black dragons out there for us to assume that that may be the dragon Kuroko was talking about. It might just be a random black dragon. And to add to that, I am not too knowledgeable in regards to all the different sounds and calls a dragon makes, so it's a very difficult question to answer."

Just as Kise was about to reply however, the door the Kuroko's room slammed open and within seconds, Kuroko was outside the inn, staring at an unknown direction.

Kise nearly dropped his cup on himself in his haste to stop Kuroko. Midorima was already chanting, and thin tendrils of green magic lightly curled around Kuroko. They were not meant to hurt, just to restrain. It would be dangerous to head out at this time of the night.

"Kurokocchi! Wait! What is it?"

Kuroko clearly ignored Kise's presence as he took a few more steps out of the inn. Midorima's magic was straining around Kuroko as they attempted to hold him back. But Kuroko took no heed of them and instead, kept turning his head from left to right, searching the dark skies.

"Kurokocchi!" Kise encircled his arm around Kuroko's shoulders, trying to tug him back into the inn. "Kurokocchi, it's dangerous to leave at night. And you're not even wearing shoes!"

Kuroko struggled hard against Kise, soft whines spilling from his lips.

"Kurokocchi! Let's go back inside, okay?" Kise pleaded, though it fell on deaf ears.

"Kise! Get him back in quickly before the Dark Creatures picks up the scent of a human being!"

"I'm trying! He won't listen to me!"

Midorima hissed in frustration, adding more green ropes of magic to stop Kuroko. He was not going to take the chance of creating a block in front of Kuroko, for that might cause him to feel trapped and he might end up using deadly magic to destroy both of them.

"Kurokocchi! Let's go back!" Kise desperately dragged Kuroko backwards. "Come on, Kurokocchi! There's nothing there!"

Like a switch, Kuroko suddenly stopped struggling. Kise's eyes widened at the change, but he quickly took that opportunity to bring them back into the safety of the inn. Just in time too, for the very second he shut the main door, countless shadows sprang up and the soft growls of the Dark Creatures could be heard.

They will not be able to touch the inn covered with Midorima's protective magic.

Kise sighed, collapsing from relief.

"Kuroko?"

Midorima made his way to where Kise was, with Kuroko still collapsed on top of him. He lowered himself down to look at Kuroko, gently lifting his face. Kuroko's blue eyes were vacant and lifeless. Midorima frowned. He lifted a hand to Kuroko's forehead.

It was hot.

Kuroko had a fever.

But that did not concern Midorima as much as the turmoil in Kuroko. He could sense a mess of emotions, swirling around, unable to settle down. He easily picked up on the stronger ones like anger and disgust. It would be bad for Kuroko to remain like this.

Yanking off the bandages around his hand, he rested his palm on Kuroko's forehead once more. Midorima's palm glowed a soft green as he tried to calm Kuroko.

Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as his lips set into a deep frown. But it still wasn't enough. Usually, an average human only needed about this much of healing magic. But Kuroko was like an endless abyss; it was as though he wasn't human. With a frustrated click of his tongue, Midorima started the chant for the healing spell he hated to use.

A large green complex magic circle appeared beneath them. As the words for the spell spilled from his lips, the magic circle started to glow. Little balls of green light floated up from the glowing circle, enveloping Midorima as the rest of the green light began disappearing into Kuroko's body.

Eventually, he managed to restrain most of Kuroko's swirling emotions, pushing them back using his magic. He then proceeded to feed him peaceful, relaxed energy in a steady stream. He also brought down the fever at the same time.

Kuroko's eyes fluttered, and closed.

Soon enough, he was in a deep sleep.

Midorima lifted his hand away from Kuroko's forehead, ending the spell. He stumbled towards the couch, falling back into it.

"Are you alright, Midorimacchi?" Kise asked, watching Midorima worriedly.

Midorima just grunted in reply.

"Midorimacchi?"

"I will be fine. That technique just exhausted me, that's all."

Kise was clearly unconvinced, but he didn't probe any further. He knew that healing technique was one that Midorima hated to use, though he did not know the full extent of the price Midorima had to pay for using it. He silently shifted to stand, hold Kuroko carefully.

"I'll bring him up." Kise said.

Midorima opened an eye, and with a wave of his hand, he cleaned up the dirtied soles of Kuroko's feet.

Kise smiled a little. If Midorima still had the ability to cast other magic – no matter how simple it was – that must mean that he was alright. Kise could actually cast something that simple, but Midorima was a step faster than he was.

Feeling a little more relieved, Kise lightly climbed the stairs.

* * *

It's painful, so painful.

Suffocating.

Where am I? It hurts, it hurts. There's no exit, I can't leave.

Enough already, please release me from this pain.

Drowning. I'm drowning; there's no light.

Why am I here? For what purpose am I still living for? I don't have anything…

There's no one who needs me, no one who wants me.

I don't belong anywhere.

Should I disappear like this?

It would be good if I can just leave everything behind.

Yes, there isn't any need for me to continue like this.

Just like this, I will close my eyes. I will block my ears. Envelope my entire being with this agonizing darkness, and go to sleep.

…

…

That…

What was that? There was a strange noise.

Ah… That sound, what a nostalgic sound. Where have I heard it before? Though it sounded slightly different from the one in my memories, but I know this sound.

That's right, this sound. I remember; that is a roar. The roar of a dragon.

Where… Where is it? My dragon, where is it?

Only the dragon would stay by me, loyal and unwavering. I may be an unneeded child, a being that should not exist. But only the dragon would understand me, stay with me, watching me through pure, untainted eyes. I will not be judged no matter what I may be.

How could I have forgotten?

I still have you.

…Yes, together, we will live together once more. Within that gentle expense of greenery, a peaceful world with just me and the dragon. That is the only place where I can belong.

Once more, once more.

To go back to that time…

Where is the dragon? I must find it quickly.

The sound earlier, where did it come from? Quickly, quickly, follow after it.

Where is my dragon?

" _Kurokocchi, it's dangerous to leave at night. And you're not even wearing shoes!"_

Who are you? Let go of me, don't stop me. I need to find my dragon. Only the dragon would accept all of me. This anguish is consuming me, I can't breathe.

" _Kurokocchi! Let's go back!"_

No, no I can't. I need to find…

" _Come on, Kurokocchi!"_

Stop it! Let go of me!

" _There's nothing there!"_

Ah, that's right. Nothing, there's nothing there. You're not there. My dragon, did you abandon me too? Why haven't you come to me? Do you not need me anymore? Am I only a nuisance to you now?

" _Kuroko?"_

Enough, stop calling me. I don't want to do this anymore. This hurt, this pain. This suffocating emotions, I can't free myself from them. There's no one…

…

…What's this? What a strange green light.

Ah, it's receding. The pain is slowly, slowly, going away.

Pushing everything away, filling me with such warmth.

Ahh. Finally, finally…

I can breathe.

Such a soothing green light; whose is it? Who is the one helping me?

This gentle energy…

…Thank you.

* * *

 **T.B.C**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:**

Thank you for all your reviews!

I have some info for you guys:

I've created a Tumblr page for my stories. For those of you who have questions (about my stories/writing/me etc.), feel free to head over and send them in! It would be easier for me to reply there, and you can get your answers faster too!

Anons are welcomed~

i-brokenpaperstrings. tumblr. com (remove the spaces)

...

Now then, as always, please enjoy~

* * *

x

* * *

"Midorimacchi? What are you doing?"

"Don't step any further, Kise. You will get caught up in the spell."

"What is this? I've never seen you use such complex magic of this scale before."

"Usually, I would not need to. Now it's an emergency. I need to purify myself."

"Purify? Eh…What do you mean by that, Midorimacchi?"

"I used a dangerous healing spell on Kuroko. Dangerous for me, that is. His negative emotions are too strong, so they're starting to affect me. I need to purify myself, including those emotions, to prevent myself from falling into insanity."

"Are you serious? Is it really that bad?"

"Hmph. It's nothing that I can't handle. Besides, I have the skills. As for Kuroko however, any longer and he would have been swallowed up by his emotions."

"…Swallowed?"

"Yes. He seems unable to pull himself out, if I had not stepped in, he would have most likely lost his mind. There is a high chance that he would have had attempted to take his own life as well."

" _What?_ But Kurokocchi's strong!"

"That he is. So whatever it is that shook him up so bad, we have to find it. To be able to break someone like that…"

"Ah! Could it be?"

"What is it, Kise?"

"That dragon roar we heard two days ago! It was that that triggered Kurokocchi, right? It even made him leave his room!"

"Hm. Perhaps. But we shall discuss that later. For now, leave me in peace to complete this magic."

"Ah, okay! I'll go patrol!"

"Don't stray too far away from the inn, Kise. Right now, in order to create this complex magic, I have taken down every bit of my magic I had used on the inn."

"Okay, understood! I will only circle around the area."

* * *

Kuroko lightly stepped out of his room, turning his head left and right, searching for the source of the strong magic he was feeling.

When he had finally awoken from his near death state, the first thing he felt was an incredibly strong magic force. Without thinking, he began to follow after it.

He silently approached a room that was seal shut with countless yellow seals. Were those Kise's seals? Frowning a little, Kuroko closed his eyes, concentrating on the magic flowing from the room. This magic…Kuroko was familiar with it.

Opening his eyes, Kuroko gently laid a hand on the door.

He was sure of the person behind this door; Midorima-kun. Midorima was the one who had pulled him out of that mess, Kuroko knew now. This sensation of magic; gentle yet strong, was Midorima's magic.

But what was he doing that required such a large amount of magic power?

" _This is purifying magic."_

A soft voice echoed in his mind. Kuroko startled, taking a few steps back. This voice… The white dragon?

Kuroko frowned. He was unsure on how to feel about the white dragon now. The white dragon clearly did not like him, not with how brutal she was that day. He knew very clearly how much divine beings like dragons hated anything to do with the Dark Creatures, so much so that they would kill them on sight.

Then, why? Why did she still choose Kuroko – who had been given the very blood of the beings she hated – to be the one to bear whatever important memories that she had?

" _You're right. I truly do not like you, especially the vile blood that flows in your veins. But my abhorrence for something like you is secondary to saving the pitiful dragons trapped in the emperor's viciousness. You are the strangest thing I've ever seen, that's why you're the best choice as compared to a regular human._

" _I will no longer allow you to run away. Live even if it hurts, even when you feel crippled by the pain. That is your responsibility, your duty as the one I have chosen."_

"In other words, for the sake of your goals, you would willingly use anything? Even something that you hate so dearly." Kuroko whispered, eyes cold.

" _Yes."_

"Fine then. I will allow you to use me as you wish. In return, you are to aid me. Never refuse my requests, never betray me."

" _So long as you remain useful to me, I will aid you to the best of my ability. However, should you abandon the task of saving the dragons under the emperor, I would destroy you with everything I have."_

"That's fine. Do we have an agreement now?"

" _Yes."_

Kuroko's body glowed with a soft white light, and a sudden sharp pain came from his palm. Lifting his hand, Kuroko stared at the faint outline of the white scale in his palm. Clenching his fist, Kuroko turned to the door.

"You said purifying magic? What is that?" Kuroko eyed the door, fighting his urge to open it.

" _I warned you, didn't I? I said that the truth would be too difficult for you to accept. As I have predicted, you had sunk into despair, breaking beyond repair. Even I could no longer reach you. But it seems that human is different. From what I have seen, he carries with him a rare healing ability._

" _He pulled you out of the mess you were in, sacrificing himself in the process. What he does is that he sends a very large amount of magic into you, to the point where all your magical abilities are suppressed by his. Because your very being has been overtaken by him, it is possible for him to restore your broken state of mind._

" _However, there is a severe consequence. Especially since it's you. Your magical abilities have long surpassed any humans', thus it would lead to his ruin when he attempts to heal you. Right now, he is purifying himself from all your negative emotions. I cannot say how successful he would be, because you are someone he should have not encountered before."_

"…Is there a way to help him?"

" _Perhaps. I am unsure if you can. You have not forgotten what you truly are, have you?"_

Kuroko growled softly, pacing up and down the hallway.

"You call me an abomination, then do you know what I truly am? Midorima-kun mentioned something about how I may have the blood of a Dark Creature…"

" _It is absolutely certain that you do have the blood of one of those vile things, but I do not know which creature has given it to you. There is a faint hint of what I assume to be a cursed unicorn's blood, though it seems that there is more than a single creature's blood within you."_

"More than one? How is that possible?"

" _You may have been targeted by two of the vile beings. There is a chance that both of them had been giving you blood."_

"Isn't that impossible? How could I withstand something like that? Because, from the very start, I was human."

" _It is only possible because of the cursed unicorn. Though they are considered a Dark Creature, compared to the rest, they were the wisest. Their strength was something feared by everyone, including dragons. Within their bodies flow a substance that is poison to every other creature, but is beneficial to humans. However, every last one of the cursed unicorn was hunted down under the emperor's orders._

" _Perhaps, perhaps one cursed unicorn managed to escape and find you."_

"So, you're saying that because of the unicorn, I survived?"

" _It is simply a theory. Because the last sighting of a cursed unicorn was at least a thousand years ago. Now, they no longer exist. Unicorns are not like dragons, they do not have a long life. So it is possible that I may have confused the blood flowing in you with that of a cursed unicorn._

" _You are a complete mess. Normally, it would be easy to identify a human that got turned into a vile beast, but because I have never encountered something like you before, I am unsure."_

"Then, what about the other being whose blood flows in me?" Kuroko paused, leaning against the railing as he gazed down at the first floor of the inn.

" _I do not know. I am unable to pick up any distinct scent that would identify it. It's too faint."_

"Is that so?" Kuroko hummed, eyes narrowed. Turning his head, he studied the door filled with yellow seals. "What are the chances that Midorima-kun would be affected if I were to open the door?"

" _About 90%. Unlike you, magic of this scale would even cause death to the caster should there be any outside interference."_

"Hm, how long will Midorima-kun remain like this?"

" _Perhaps another couple of hours or so."_

The soft click of a door opening had Kuroko whipping his head around. Kise quietly entered the inn, a tired sigh escaping his lips. He was mumbling lowly to himself as he disappeared into the kitchen. Kuroko did not know if it was because he had formed an agreement with the white dragon, but he was suddenly able to hear every word that Kise said clearly.

"I don't know if Midorimacchi has already written a letter about our current situation, but since I can't exactly ask him right now, maybe I should just send one? _They_ would surely be worried since it's been a few weeks since Midorimacchi met up with me. Hm..."

Kise reappeared once more, settling himself down onto the couch as he sipped at his drink.

Kuroko blinked, tilting his head.

"And Kurokocchi is still not awake yet… What should I do if there was an attack? I won't be able to protect both of them at once, and I'm not too good at using magic too. In an ambush, I should only be able to last for fifteen minutes. …Kurokocchi! Why won't you hurry and wake up?" Kise softly wailed to himself, curling up into a ball.

Kuroko just stared at Kise.

He has yet to apologise to Kise and Midorima for causing so much trouble. Perhaps now would be a good time, seeing as how Kise was rather distressed. With a little smile, Kuroko quietly descended the stairs.

Halfway down, the ground suddenly shook.

Kuroko grabbed onto the railing instinctively, while Kise bolted straight for the door. His sword appeared in his hands as he kicked open the front door. And there, Kuroko had the first look of what appeared to be a Dark Creature.

It had the body of an ape, head of a lion, and the tail of a snake. It threw its head back and let out a roar as Kise charged at it. Kuroko hurried down the stairs, flinching as Kise narrowly avoided being clawed in half. Those claws looked like that of a dragon's!

A low rumbling from around the other side of the inn had Kuroko running to the window. From the distance, he could see what appeared to be a normal lion, except for the flames burning at its paws. It ran at terrifying speed, heading for the inn.

" _Hide! Do not let either of those creatures look at you!"_

Kuroko ducked behind a curtain, making sure he was well hidden. "Why do I need to hide?" He hissed softly.

" _Did you not notice their eyes? It's a pale sickly yellowish white. Those are creatures controlled by the emperor. Everything the creatures see, the emperor will know as well."_

Kuroko's eyes widened. "Kise-kun!"

" _It is fine if he's seen. It seems like both of them are already in a conflict with the emperor. But you are a new face, the emperor have never seen you before. Hide, do not give the emperor another reason to attack them. If he realises that they had gained someone else to their side, surely it will be much more difficult for all of you to move around."_

Kuroko growled, "But Kise-kun is in danger!"

" _Then fight. Fight without being seen."_

Kuroko paused, and then slowly shifted to the window. Judging the distance between the flaming lion and the inn, Kuroko smiled a little. A soft incantation spilled from his lips, and the fire around the lion began to go wild. It has been a while since he had trained like this.

Using the fire the lion was producing, Kuroko took over the nature of the fire, willing it to attack the lion instead. The lion roared with anger, flinging its head around, searching. Kuroko hid himself completely, closing his eyes. Soon enough, the lion began to yelp in fear and pain.

"Burn." Kuroko whispered.

The lion exploded into flames, and the distant screams of the citizens could be heard. But they weren't hurt, Kuroko had made sure the fire would only destroy the lion and nothing more.

Shifting his head out from behind the curtain, Kuroko studied Kise's fight.

" _To be able to overtake the magic of others so easily without even feeling any side effects, you truly are a monster."_

Kuroko grunted.

He ignored the dragon, concealing himself once more. He chanted a longer, stronger incantation this time, and Kise's shout of surprise was rather amusing to Kuroko.

A light blue magic circle appeared under the beast Kise was fighting, the force of the sudden magic pushed Kise back into the inn.

Before Kise could draw his sword again, another magic circle appeared above the creature's head. This time, the light blue magic circle bore a hint of silver.

Kise would never forget the scene he saw that day; that cruel, unrelenting magic was enough to make him nauseous just remembering it. Blue lighting appeared from the top circle, trapping the beast in a cage. And before his very eyes, the beast was steadily ripped into shreds.

It was not a fast process either, it was slow, torturously slow. It was as though someone was _playing_ with the beast. The beast would cry out every time it received a fatal wound, twisting and turning, trying to flee. But there was no way out for the beast. It could only scream out in pain over and over, until its body was ripped apart and it was finally granted death.

The sudden stillness rang in his ears and Kise sat just inside the inn, where he had collapsed. With a soft creak, the front door closed on its own as the entire inn was enveloped in a chilling silvery-blue light.

"Kise-kun."

Kise jumped up, whirling around and drawing his sword as his arms trembled. Right there, before him, stood Kuroko. A silver-eyed Kuroko. Kise knew at once, that the one who killed the beast in such a manner, was none other than Kuroko.

"…Kurokocchi?" Kise hesitantly asked, not daring to approach him.

Kuroko blinked, and then smiled. His eyes gradually returned to the blue that Kise was more familiar with.

"Are you alright, Kise-kun?"

"Y-yes, I'm fine."

"That's a relief. It seems I have caused you some trouble, Kise-kun. Thank you for taking care of me." Kuroko bowed.

"No, it– it's nothing. I'm glad you're finally awake, Kurokocchi!" Kise laughed lightly, but his body was still tense.

Kuroko nodded.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright."

"That's good," Kise smiled.

There was a tense silence before Kuroko spoke up again.

"It looks like Midorima-kun is still not done yet, so in the meantime, I shall answer any questions you have for me, Kise-kun."

Kise blinked, unsure on what to do.

"Eh?"

"We have time, so won't it be alright to have a talk?" Kuroko said. He gestured to the couch, and Kise obediently moved to them, sitting down stiffly.

Kise glanced up at Kuroko, who only stared back at him in return.

In that instant, he felt a sudden chill run down his spine.

He could only hope that Kuroko would not have a sudden urge to kill him.

* * *

 **T.B.C**


	10. Chapter 10

"Kurokocchi! Before you say anything, please accept my apology!" Kise exclaimed, lowering his upper body into a bow even as he remained seated.

"What's wrong, Kise-kun? Why is there a need to apologise to me?"

Kise straightened up, and looked everywhere except at Kuroko. "That is… You see… Um…"

"Kise-kun, please speak clearly."

"Yes! I am apologising for taking advantage of you!" Kise clapped his hands together – palms flat against each other – as he lowered his head.

"…Taking advantage? So you're saying you did something to me?"

Kise slightly raised his head, peeking at Kuroko. He froze as he met Kuroko's fiery gaze. His mind worked at rapid speed, trying to figure out what it was that suddenly triggered Kuroko's rage.

"Ah! No, no, no! I didn't mean it that way!" Kise hurriedly babbled, waving his arms around. "What I meant was that I took advantage of your weakened state to ask you questions that you normally would not answer. …Though it was Midorimacchi that did most of the talking."

Kuroko deflated, leaning back into the sofa he was seated on. Kise let out a soft, concealed breath of relief as he saw Kuroko relax.

"I see," Kuroko said, "in that case, what have you learnt from me?"

Kise paused, thinking. "Hm, about dragon's blood and their uses? And also about how you apparently had a really close relationship with a black dragon."

A small smile appeared on Kuroko's lips, and Kise blinked.

"I see. Is that all?" Kuroko asked.

Kise nodded.

"Then, is there anything else you would like to know? For taking care of me while I was in that state, I shall answer your questions."

Kise stared at Kuroko, taking in his serious gaze. He smiled. Now was the time to ask what they needed to know. But first, he needed to know why it seemed as if Kuroko had some kind of split personality.

"Kurokocchi, if you don't mind me asking, why is it that your eyes change colours? And why do you seem like a different person when it does?"

Kuroko blinked, staring at Kise in confusion.

"My eyes changes colours?"

"Yeah! Earlier, it was a scary silver."

Kuroko lifted his hand to his chin, and appeared to be pondering it. He suddenly tilted his head, and seemed to be listening to something.

"I see, is that so?" He murmured quietly.

Kise was unsure if Kuroko was talking to him, since he had not even glanced his way. It looked as though Kuroko was talking to someone else. Abruptly, Kuroko turned his head and stared at Kise.

Kise flinched minutely.

"Kise-kun, do you remember when Midorima-kun said that I may have the blood of Dark Creatures in me?" Kuroko suddenly asked.

Kise nodded, "Yes."

"It looks like his guess was spot on. I do have that cursed blood flowing in my veins."

Kise gasped, "How can you be sure?"

Kuroko smiled a little.

"I have received confirmation."

"Received?"

"Yes, by the white dragon."

" _Eh?_ What do you mean?"

"In my body dwells the presence of a white dragon. I do not know if you have met her before, but now I can communicate with her." Kuroko held out his palm, and Kise closely examined it. There was a faint outline of what appeared to be a scale.

"…This… Is this a scale, Kurokocchi?"

"Yes, it is."

"Then…" Kise paused, fidgeting nervously.

"The white dragon came from the palace, and she clearly holds the information that you and Midorima-kun are after. But she is still refusing to tell me, so I'm afraid that I can't help you yet."

"I see." Kise mumbled lowly, dejected.

"But to answer your questions, Kise-kun, the reason why my eyes changes colour and why I seem to turn into another person is because of the Dark Creatures' blood. It is something like a side effect of sorts. I don't turn into a hideous beast physically, but my mental state is affected."

"Your mental state?" Kise stared at Kuroko, wide-eyed. He recalled the strange, weak Kuroko who seemed about to break.

"Oh, I don't mean what happened to me. That was a different matter. What I meant by mental state is that, my mind becomes similar to that of a cruel predator. I would be overcome by this urge to kill or torture whoever it is that opposes me. But there isn't any need to worry, I can restrain myself, mostly."

Kise was gaping at Kuroko, unable to form words.

Kuroko hummed.

"Have you heard of the saying, 'weak to the weak, strong to the strong'? My power and mental state would fluctuate according to my enemies. If my enemy is weak, there would not be any effect on me. When my enemy is strong enough to give me a decent fight however, that's when I would be affected by the cursed blood in me."

Kuroko tilted his head, listening to something Kise couldn't hear.

"The white dragon says that due to the blood of the vile creatures, my body has undergone a serious change. I do not have limitations like an ordinary mage. The power of my magic will increase endlessly in a fight against someone strong."

Kise suddenly laughed, glowing with happiness.

"Then, doesn't it mean that you're invincible? That's amazing, Kurokocchi!"

But Kuroko slowly shook his head.

"Not quite, Kise-kun. Because I do not have limitations, it is difficult for me to know when to stop against a strong opponent. Think of it like an invisible balloon, Kise-kun. Because you can't see where to stop, you continue to blow and blow, and eventually it would burst without warning."

Kuroko ran a hand through his hair, looking a little conflicted. He sighed.

"When I was with the black dragon, I was not overtaken by the cursed blood because of the bond I had with it. With how the dragon had cherished me, I need not fear death even after using a large amount of power because I knew that the dragon would not let me die. But with a stranger as an opponent, it is different. I may successfully kill my enemy, but at the same time, I may also die along with them.

"There is no such thing as a warning for me. An ordinary person will feel fatigue, feel as if their body can no longer move once they have reached their limits. However, in my case, my body continues to move and attack endlessly, until I die with no prior warnings."

Now Kise had shrunk into his seat, looking pained.

Kuroko continued, "Training with a dragon is no easy task, and I have died many, many times. Even so, I can never tell where my limits are. It's dangerous, it's frustrating. But this is what I am, and I have accepted it."

Kuroko silently stood up, making his way over to Kise. He jabbed his palm into Kise's side, causing Kise to yelp and turn wide, confused eyes onto Kuroko.

Kuroko let a small laugh slip past his lips as he observed Kise's reactions.

"You don't have to make that face, Kise-kun. That is only in a worst case scenario. I told you, right? I can restrain myself. Though I have yet to fight against a stranger who is exceptionally strong, so far, I am able to stop myself from being pulled into the madness of this cursed blood whenever I use my powers."

Kuroko blinked, suddenly looking mildly embarrassed.

"Though the change in eye colours is something I do not have control over. So, if I frightened you, my apologies."

"Ah. No, it's okay."

Kise stared at Kuroko for a little, hesitant to bring up this topic.

"What is it, Kise-kun? Do you have something else to ask?"

Kise lowered his gaze, nervously fiddling with his hands.

"Kurokocchi, I have a question that may make you very uncomfortable."

"It's alright, Kise-kun. What is it?"

Squeezing his eyes shut, Kise rushed out his words in a single breath. "A few days ago, you suddenly became weird. What is the reason for your scary drastic change? What happened, Kurokocchi?"

Kuroko did not answer and Kise finally opened up his eyes, looking at a softly smiling Kuroko.

"Kurokocchi…?"

"Kise-kun, looks like you finally managed to get that question out. During the whole time we were conversing earlier, you had looked like you had another question that you wanted me to answer instead."

Blood rushed to Kise's face, colouring his cheeks and ears red from embarrassment.

"That… I… Uh…"

Kise's stuttered reply was interrupted by the sound of a door opening.

Both Kise and Kuroko glanced up, and Kuroko stared blankly at the person who had easily broken the barrier he had placed around the inn. And it was also extremely unsettling how he had no idea of his barriers being taken down until the person was before him.

"Yo." The person drawled, followed by the sound of crunching.

"We didn't receive any news from you, so I was sent by _him_ to check up on you."

Kise shot up from the couch, pointing rather rudely at the person still standing at the entryway.

"Murasakibaracchi!"

* * *

"Yo, Kise-chin."

"W-why are you here, Murasakibaracchi?"

"Didn't I already say that I was sent by _him?_ Kise-chin, has your hearing gotten worse? Anyway, I see someone new."

Kuroko stared back at the giant towering over him. Lazy eyes observed him carefully as the giant continued to munch on a snack.

"And?" He drawled, "Who're you?"

Kuroko was not given a chance to answer as Kise was suddenly standing in front of him. "Murasakibaracchi, this is Kurokocchi! He's with us!"

"Hm?" Murasakibara blinked. "Is he? But _he_ didn't say anything."

Kise scratched his face, looking flustered. "We have yet to send a letter, so _he_ doesn't know." Kise turned to Kuroko, and began a very brief introduction.

"Murasakibaracchi, this is Kuroko Tetsuya. Kurokocchi, this giant is Murasakibara Atsushi."

Kuroko nodded slowly and politely greeted Murasakibara.

Murasakibara hummed in reply, looking around the inn. His gaze landed on the second floor.

"Kise-chin, why is there so much of Mido-chin's magic coming from the second floor?" He asked as he bit into his snack.

Kise directed his gaze towards the second floor as well. "Midorimacchi says he's doing a purification magic."

"Purification? Mido-chin actually used _that_ magic? Eh, why?" Murasakibara frowned. His eyes snapped back to where Kuroko was, narrowed with displeasure. "Is it you? Mido-chin helped you?"

Kuroko's heartbeat picked up, and his body began to thrum. The more Kuroko stared into Murasakibara's eyes, the faster his heart raced. Was this fear? Was Kuroko afraid of this person before him?

…No.

This wasn't fear.

This was anticipation.

The person before him was strong.

His blood sang with urgency, bloodlust and euphoria. Kuroko wanted to fight this man. He wanted… He wanted to make this man kneel before him. This man had broken through the barrier around the inn so easily, he would surely give Kuroko a worthy fight.

"Kurokocchi? What's wrong? Why are you frozen?"

Kuroko turned his face away from Murasakibara, taking deep, calming breaths. "It's nothing." He mumbled towards Kise.

Once he had more control over himself, Kuroko looked back at Murasakibara who was near glaring at him. Kuroko said, "Yes, it was me. Midorima had unselfishly helped me when I was lost."

Murasakibara seemed to have growled at him, but he eventually just turned away.

"Since Mido-chin willingly helped you, I won't do anything to you yet. But if you hurt Mido-chin any more than you already have, I will crush you."

Murasakibara strolled past Kuroko and Kise, seating himself onto the couch.

"Murasakibaracchi, you're staying?" Kise asked.

"Yeah."

"Oh."

"Kise-chin, has the emperor made any moves?"

A deep frown marred Kise's usual smiling façade as he nodded. "Just before you arrived, there was a beast sent by the emperor."

Kuroko interrupted then, "Kise-kun, actually there were two beasts."

Kise whipped around to face Kuroko.

" _Two?_ But I was only fighting one!"

"I killed the other one that was approaching from the back before it came near the inn."

Kise paused, blinking. "Is that so? Thanks, Kurokocchi!" He smiled brightly as he tousled Kuroko's hair.

Kuroko pushed Kise's hand away as he grunted in mild annoyance.

Murasakibara was silently watching their interaction as he continued to eat.

* * *

x

* * *

"Oi, you've been slacking off recently."

"Ah? I have not. I was keeping track of all my citizens."

"You have, you have! I'm so bored. Hurry up and send us out already!"

"Exactly. Stop slacking off, aren't you the emperor? Let the both of us out to play."

"You guys are so rude. I said I wasn't slacking. In fact, I found something interesting."

"Eh? Interesting? What is it?"

"Our little rebel group seems to have gained someone new."

"Seriously?"

"I can recognise most of their attacks, except for their infuriatingly strong leader. Anyway, my beasts were killed by someone whose magic attacks appeared to be rather advanced. Unfortunately, I was not able to get a look. Seems like the new person either hides really well or that they may have known about my ability to see through the eyes of my beasts."

"It sounds so fun! Hey, hey, let me go check them out!"

"What are you saying? Stop dreaming 'cause I'm going instead!"

"No way! It's me, me! It's been a long time since I went out!"

"Hah? You're always going out! It's my turn now!"

"That's just because you're always so lazy!"

"Hah? You looking for a fight, you midget?"

"…You, you disrespectful brat! Show some respect for your seniors!"

"Alright, stop fighting. Neither of you are leaving."

"Eh!"

"Why not!"

"Now is not the time. There are still things I have to prepare for. I will send you out soon, be patient for a while more."

* * *

 **T.B.C**


	11. Chapter 11

A/N:

To BabyNightmareLady: As for whether the emperor and the ones who serve him are OCs or KNB characters, I shall leave that to you to figure it out. Because if I were to answer that, the story will become boring, right? I will drop hints here and there, so look forward to them!

* * *

x

* * *

Kuroko glanced at Kise who was fidgeting in his seat.

A heavy atmosphere filled the living area as the three of them – Murasakibara, Kise and Kuroko – sat still quietly, occasionally observing each other.

Murasakibara had long finished the snacks he brought along, and was now gazing at nothing in particular, though he seem extremely wary of Kuroko.

Unable to stand the atmosphere anymore, Kise started fumbling for something to say.

"Eh…Uh…Oh, right! Kurokocchi!"

Kuroko blinked, "What is it?"

"Um, earlier, that question that I asked earlier…"

Murasakibara raised his eyebrows, but chose to remain silent.

Kuroko tilted his head, trying to recall. Realisation dawned on him, and he lifted his head to glance at the second floor. "Ah, that question?" He asked.

"Yeah…" Kise followed his gaze, confusion evident on his face.

Kuroko shook his head, "Sorry, Kise-kun. I believe that I owe both you and Midorima-kun an explanation, so would you mind waiting until Midorima-kun is done with his spell?"

"Oh. Well, okay. I can wait."

Kuroko bobbed his head in silent thanks.

" _That is a rather large human sitting across from you. Why not take this time to get to know each other? You may have to become allies soon."_

Kuroko blinked.

"What, are you willing to talk now?"

"Huh?" Kise stared blankly at Kuroko.

Kuroko ignored Kise as he listened to the white dragon's words.

" _I don't trust them completely, even if they say they are going against the emperor. The emperor is too cunning, so letting them have knowledge is dangerous. However, that large human; Murasakibara, I know about him. Why don't you get to know him with your own effort first? I will fill in the rest if he misses out anything. Remember, this is what you promised me… because he is one of the essential keys to winning against the emperor."_

"Is that so?" Kuroko hummed.

"Kurokocchi?"

Kuroko waved his hand at Kise to silence him, and turned towards Murasakibara.

Murasakibara shifted slightly, watching Kuroko with renewed concentration.

"Murasakibara-kun, are you willing to have a chat with me?" Kuroko stared at Murasakibara, judging his reactions.

A blink, and Murasakibara said, "Hm, fine."

He continued, "But first, you need to tell me about yourself."

Kuroko nodded. That was within his expectations.

"What is it about me that you want to know?"

Murasakibara hummed. "Why are you not under the emperor's hypnosis?"

"Actually, when I was younger, I was a victim. But I was freed by the white dragon that lived in the palace."

"Eh?" Kise gasped.

Kuroko glanced at Kise. "During the time you met me, I didn't realise that certain parts of my memories were missing. Now, however, I regained some of them due to the white dragon."

"White dragon? You are lying, aren't you? White dragons serve the emperor loyally. They won't help you." Murasakibara frowned, his drawling voice taking on a hard edge.

" _Hmph. Though it's true for young dragons, I am an old dragon. I have lived so long that I can still clearly recall the very construction of that cursed palace a thousand years ago. Because I am old, the emperor was not able to fully control me. That's why that cunning, despicable bastard chose to kill me! He was too afraid of me."_

"Many young dragons serve the emperor without a choice. But the dragon that freed me was not under the emperor's full control." Kuroko said.

Murasakibara grunted, but not one bit of his suspicions about Kuroko lifted.

"So you're saying you got protected by a white dragon all the while?"

"I was, for a period of time. But the white dragon went into sleep after some years."

"Sleep? What are you talking about?"

"After I was released from the emperor, she had watched over me, preventing me from even approaching the palace to not rouse the emperor's suspicions. It lasted for a while, up till the day I left home. Then, she went into a deep sleep, being unaware of what was happening around me."

" _That's right. I was considerably shocked when I woke to find that you had actually became friends with a black dragon of all things."_

A gruff, low rumbling sound filled Kuroko's ears. This was the exact same sound that the black dragon would make when it was in a bad mood and sulking.

"Heh." Kuroko chuckled.

He lifted his arm, fist clenched and facing upwards. Murasakibara went on full alert. Kuroko ignored his reaction, slowly opening his fist to show Murasakibara the embedded scale in his palm.

"This is a scale belonging to the white dragon who helped me. Right now, her physical body is no longer here because the emperor killed her. But by using this scale, she has moved a part of her to within me."

" _In human terms, you would call it a 'soul'."_

Kuroko nodded, continuing, "That is, her soul."

Murasakibara reached out, grasping Kuroko's wrist in a firm, near painful grip. Kuroko observed him as Murasakibara stared at his palm. Before Kuroko could move away, a light purple streak of magic sliced deeply into his palm.

Shocked, Kuroko yanked his hand away as he shot his own magic at Murasakibara's torso. It barely injured him though, Murasakibara had casted a defensive spell so fast that he only suffered a mild cut. Kuroko's streak of blue magic was stopped by a slowly rotating, tiny magic circle.

Kuroko hissed as the cut on his palm started to heal. It was a moderately severe wound, but not enough to kill him. His own inhuman abilities to heal would suffice.

Kise had cried out in shock, producing towels out of thin air to stop the blood flow. He had then desperately patted down his clothes, searching for the healing charms.

"Murasakibaracchi! What did you do that for! Damn! I used up all my charms! Murasakibaracchi, give him yours! You still have those that Midorimacchi made for you, right? Hurry!"

Murasakibara only clicked his tongue, not moving a single muscle to do what Kise demanded.

"Kise-kun, please calm down." Kuroko tugged on Kise's shirt, attempting to pull him back onto the sofa.

"Uwaaah! Kurokocchi! Blood! You're bleeding so badly!"

Kuroko's eyebrow twitched, and he reached up. Forcefully tugging on Kise's hair, he urged Kise to sit. "Enough, Kise-kun. It's a minor wound. It will heal easily enough. Did you forget, Kise-kun?"

Tears sprang to Kise's eyes as he grasp onto the hand Kuroko had on his head, "Ouch, that hurts!" Hearing Kuroko's words however, Kise froze, blinking at him.

"Ahh… That's right, Kurokocchi, you're…"

A heavy sigh of relief left Kise's lips as he collapsed back onto the couch.

" _Tell Murasakibara that it's useless. He was attempting to cut your palm open to reach the scale, wasn't he? It won't work. When I placed my scale into you back then, it had already melted into you. The print on your palm is simply like a scar. There's nothing in your palm anymore._ "

Kuroko blinked multiple times at his palm. Oh, he hadn't known that the scale was no longer there. The mark on his palm was too real, as though there really was something underneath.

He glanced at Murasakibara, who was playing around with the little magic streak Kuroko had used, and frowned. Murasakibara had reacted so quickly, much quicker than anyone Kuroko had ever seen. And on top of that, he did not chant any incantations either.

"Murasakibara-kun," Kuroko called as he erased the magic in Murasakibara's hands, "What you have done is useless. On my palm is only a scar. The actual scale has melted into my body, so you won't find anything."

Murasakibara silently raised his head, staring at Kuroko.

"Who are you, Murasakibara-kun? You used magic without incantations, didn't you?"

A smirk appeared on Murasakibara's lips.

"You didn't use any either. And I have never seen someone like you around the palace."

Kuroko frowned.

"Who are you?" He asked once more.

"I used to be among the emperor's personal mages. I was an archmage. I specialise in defence."

Kuroko stared.

"You are allied with the emperor?"

Murasakibara clicked his tongue again, as though he found answering Kuroko's questions as a chore.

"Used to, I said. I don't anymore. I found someone better."

"…You are strong, Murasakibara-kun."

"Ah? …Hm." Murasakibara glanced at Kuroko before looking away, "Your barrier around the inn just now was strong too. It was troublesome to remove it. And your attack. It's strong enough to pierce a little of my defensive magic and injure me."

Murasakibara's stomach growled then, and he frowned as though it annoyed him.

Kuroko stood up, the blood soaked towel slipping from his hand. Flexing his hand, he secretly observed how Murasakibara's eyes widened with shock as there was not a single trace of the wound left.

Kuroko smiled slightly as he said, "Shall I fry some crisps for now? Seems like our talk is going to drag on for a while, so how about having some snacks and tea as well?"

Murasakibara turned his eyes away, but it was more of a silent consent than a cold reaction.

Kuroko walked passed Murasakibara, making his way to the kitchen.

A satisfied smirk danced on his lips.

* * *

x

* * *

Kuroko sighed, leaning back as he closed his eyes.

After sitting still for so long, he was starting to ache a little. The table had about a quarter of snacks left, from biscuits to mini cakes. Instead of using the ovens and cooler, he had used his magic abilities instead.

It was a good lesson, because it required intense concentration and control of his abilities. The first few times, he had burned the biscuits, accidentally turned the batter into a block of ice, and nearly destroyed the kitchen. But he tried again and again, for though he was strong, to perfect such fine details was absolutely necessary for a more complete mastery of his magic!

That aside, he was internally making calculations about what he should do now. The information he learnt about Murasakibara was impressive.

Murasakibara excelled at defensive magic so well, that even the emperor's hypnosis could not control him completely. In a sense, he was just like the white dragon. It's no wonder the white dragon had taken an interest in him. Though the white dragon was constantly locked away, she was able to communicate through telepathy and watch the world through the eyes of the other white dragons. All the while hiding her actions from the emperor.

As expected of an old dragon, her abilities were strong indeed.

Kuroko could see the white dragon within him opening her eyes as she read his thoughts, though she didn't say anything and chose to close her eyes again.

Murasakibara was not under complete control, but he stayed with the emperor because he was strong. He had obediently defended the emperor against all attacks, and the emperor had trusted him enough to promote him to an archmage. It was then immediately followed by making Murasakibara part of the emperor's personal aides.

Murasakibara said that he had served the emperor for roughly fifty years. Due to the overflowing magic of the world, a human could easily live up to two hundred years. Their appearances would remain at the peak of their youth until the last quarter of their life.

Murasakibara did not care much for the lives of others. Even as he learnt of the emperor's notoriety, he still remained by his side willingly.

But when a rebel group had gone against the emperor – the group that Kise was part of – for the first time, Murasakibara was overwhelmed by the strength of someone else. He had then started gaining an interest in the group. He threw away his position without a second thought, chasing after the group.

And his efforts paid off when he was invited by the leader to join them.

The emperor had been absolutely furious at Murasakibara's betrayal and had sent countless pursuers after him, but none of them had return. Or perhaps they had, as dead spirits that is. The emperor was a shrewd man, after many denied offers to return to his side, he chose to let him go. It was clear that he was no longer going to show Murasakibara any mercy even if he begged to return, his only intention was to obliterate the entire group.

But Murasakibara didn't seemed to care. The confidence and practically undying loyalty that he had towards the mysterious leader of the group left Kuroko extremely curious.

The white dragon had even acknowledge Murasakibara's strength, so for him to lose against someone else, Kuroko had an urge to meet the leader.

Actually, that was secondary.

The truth was that Kuroko was still keeping a tight hold on himself, because just being in Murasakibara's presence – the presence of someone so strong – made Kuroko want to constantly fight.

He wanted to shed blood, he wanted to torture.

 _He wanted to kill this man._

Constantly holding himself in check was starting to exhaust him.

Kuroko's eyes snapped opened suddenly, and he directed his gaze to the second floor.

The large amount of magic from Midorima's room had disappeared. He was not the only one who noticed, of course. Kise was already making his up the stairs.

The yellow seals on the door burned away as it opened. Midorima stumbled out, face haggard and deathly pale.

"Midorimacchi!" Kise anxiously, yet softly, called out to him.

Midorima stared blankly at Kise for a moment before he spoke, "Kuroko?"

Kise pointed down, and Midorima's eyes met Kuroko's.

He grunted in satisfaction.

Kise aided Midorima down the stairs as Kuroko stood up, giving the only single sofa to Midorima. Midorima sank into the seat tiredly, though he stared at Murasakibara in silent question.

Murasakibara came forward to where Midorima was seated, crouching beside the chair.

"I came 'cause we didn't know how you were doing. There was no letter or anything." Murasakibara explained again.

Midorima nodded, adjusting his glasses. "It slipped my mind to send one."

"Hm," was Murasakibara's reply, just a simple sound of acknowledgement.

Kuroko was busy pouring a cup of warm tea – he had sneakily reheated it slightly – for Midorima when the attention was suddenly on him.

"How are you feeling?" Midorima asked.

Kuroko handed the tea over, "I am fine. Thank you for helping me, Midorima-kun."

Midorima shifted almost shyly, sipping at the tea. Kuroko blinked as he watched Midorima's actions. It seemed as though Midorima was not good at accepting gratitude.

There was a strange silence as they watch Midorima downed about half the cup. And then his eyes began to droop.

"Midorimacchi? Are you tired?"

"Just a little."

"Do you want to go up and sleep in a proper bed instead?" Kise asked with concerned eyes.

Midorima shook his head slowly. He shifted forward, carefully placing the cup onto the table.

"I won't sleep yet. I can't."

"But…"

"I still have remnants of the complex magic I used clinging to me. If I sleep in this state, I will get caught up in it… and may die."

Midorima sighed. His face was too pale, and Kuroko could see the minute trembling of his hands. His body had been strained too much, it truly was a miracle that he even had the strength to lift the teacup.

Murasakibara was attempting to feed Midorima a small tart, though it was constantly being rejected. Kise was doing the same, except that he had in his hands a bowl of handmade crisps, claiming that Midorima needed them for energy.

Kuroko had slipped away unnoticed, making extra effort to shut his room door soundlessly.

Now he was staring at the items on his desk.

The pot of warm tea, Midorima's cup that he had swiped from the table, and the vial of dragon's blood.

" _Are you going to do it?"_

"Yes." Kuroko answered softly. "Midorima's current state is the fault of my weakness."

" _That's true. Instead of dealing with the truth of your existence, you ran away, causing Midorima to risk himself to save you."_

Kuroko clicked his tongue, irritated yet unable to refute.

" _But still, if you do give him the blood, it will only be a disadvantage for you."_

"I know. In this vial is the exact amount of blood needed for the three scales I have. Dragon's blood can bring one back from near death, however, it only works when you swallow it with the scales that serve to protect a dragon's heart, and not from any other body part."

He lifted the pot, refilling the cup of tea in the cup to the brim.

Then Kuroko picked up the vial.

"Even if I give some to Midorima-kun, and lose one chance of recovering from near death, I would still have two more."

" _But the future is unpredictable. There are too many paths or actions that can greatly change the future over and over. That one chance you gave away, might be the one you need in order to win against the emperor."_

"That may be true. But the present is also important. We need Midorima-kun. Neither Murasakibara-kun nor Kise-kun are able to use healing magic. Midorima-kun is a vital asset, it would be best if he quickly regains his health."

" _Do as you wish. But you are not to fall before fulfilling your end of the promise."_

"Yes, I know."

He uncapped the vial.

He lifted a hand above the tea, and soon enough, the tea began to boil. Steam rose from the cup and the pleasant scent of tea filled his room. Carefully tilting the vial, he dripped about five drops of blood in.

The hot, boiling tea easily mixed together with the blood.

After bringing the temperature down, Kuroko recapped the vial and stored it back into his bag.

" _It's a little too hot, bring it down a little more. Midorima would find it easier to drink too."_

Kuroko nodded, cooling the tea even more.

" _That should be enough."_

Kuroko made his way back, where he found Kise clutching his head and Murasakibara sulking as he ate. And a clearly annoyed Midorima.

Ah.

Kuroko smiled as he approached Midorima.

"Have some tea, Midorima-kun."

Midorima flinched as he whipped around to stare at Kuroko. Kuroko gave him credit for not crying out, as Kise's shocked cry drew attention to him. He handed the tea over.

"I warmed it up again." He said.

Midorima took the cup, nodding his head in thanks as he fiddled with his glasses. He lifted the cup to his lips, finishing it quickly.

Kuroko gently set the pot of tea back onto the table.

He moved to take a seat. Just as he made himself comfortable, Midorima dropped the cup – the delicate porcelain shattering upon impact with the ground – as his body started to spasm violently.

"Midorimacchi!" Kise's head shot up, "What's wrong?"

Midorima was unable to answer, fingers digging in where he had grabbed his arms in an instinctive reaction to contain the shaking of his body. His body was screaming with pain, his mind felt as though it was trying to split in half. Midorima coughed, and splatters of blood covered the floor.

Once he started, Midorima couldn't stop the coughing. He was barely able to take a breath between each cough. The blood on the floor steadily collected.

Murasakibara and Kise were both panicking, a complete contrast to the relaxed Kuroko. Murasakibara's eyes moved from Midorima to the broken cup, to Kuroko who was watching the scene unfold calmly.

In a second, he was in front of Kuroko.

Kuroko returned Murasakibara's anger filled gaze with an expressionless one of his own. He was lifted up by the collar of his shirt, and was not given any time to react as bright purple light came crashing down upon him. Murasakibara released him at the same time, thus he was not hit with the blood that came from Kuroko's wounds.

"I already said that I will crush you if you did anything." Murasakibara snarled as he shot another magic attack at Kuroko. This time, however, his spell was blocked by a silvery blue tendril of magic. Just a single, thin magic. Murasakibara's eyes widened as he stared.

To be able to stop one of his strong spells with a thin trail of magic was something he had not foreseen.

"Really, you sure are impatient, Murasakibara-kun." Kuroko pushed himself up from where he laid on the ground, leaning back against the couch. His head was still lowered, so it was not possible to see his expression.

Kuroko ran the back of his hand across his lips, wiping away the blood spilling from his mouth.

"Do you always attack someone so randomly?" Kuroko's body shone with the silvery blue aura.

"Kuro– mmph!"

A tendril of magic covered Kise's mouth, cutting off his words. It was quickly followed by dozens of magic strands, resulting in Kise being wrapped up in Kuroko's magic, unable to talk or even move from his spot.

Kuroko lifted his head.

Malevolent silver eyes met surprised purple ones.

Kuroko smiled, almost bordering on a crazed grin. "Murasakibara-kun, you know, though I understand your desire to protect, to recklessly attack without confirming the situation is a bad trait to have."

Murasakibara growled, lifting his hands to cast magic once more. Only to find that he couldn't draw any magic force at all. He glanced down at his feet, where a brightly shinning silver-blue magic circle was serenely rotating.

He did not know why, but looking at that magic circle was irritating him. It felt as though he was being mocked.

"Magic Restriction. Ever heard of it, Murasakibara-kun?" Kuroko asked. "It's a specialised magic that dragons use."

Kuroko smiled.

"Judging from your shocked state, I suppose not. It's a magic that cancels all magic force of the person within the circle, making it impossible for them to cast magic. And it also doubles as a physical restriction. Your feet can't move, right?"

Kuroko glanced at Midorima.

He noted how Midorima's shaking had subsided. His eyes were wide and unfocused as his body heaved with his laboured pants, but at least he was calming down. And colour had returned to his face, giving it a healthy glow. Not only that, he could feel the drastic increase in Midorima's magic.

It was expected. Dragon's blood will cause a person to receive tremendous power increase in their base abilities.

Shifting his eyes back to the futilely struggling Murasakibara, Kuroko continued to speak. "I'm working really hard to stop myself here, Murasakibara-kun. Don't make things harder for me by attacking me, okay? Because I might lose control and end up killing you."

As the wounds Kuroko sustained healed over, Midorima abruptly jumped up, staring at his trembling hands. He slowly lifted his head, staring at the silver-eyed Kuroko.

"You…" Midorima's voice was rough and broken. Clearing his throat, he said, "You, did you do what I think you did? I did think that the tea had an overly sweet aftertaste, but it can't be… Looking at my body now; my health, completely recovered. My base magic power, even my physical strength, they increased."

Midorima gaped at him, incredulous and astonished.

"…Kuroko, you gave me dragon's blood, didn't you?"

Kuroko chuckled.

"You catch on so fast, Midorima-kun."

He stood up, walking towards Midorima. He rested his hand on Midorima's torso, and Midorima's body glowed with his silver-blue aura.

Midorima flinched, a feeling of being laid bare; that he was completely exposed overcame him.

Kuroko hummed, appearing to be satisfied with whatever he had seen. His aura faded when he pulled his hand away from Midorima.

"It seems like you have adapted pretty well to the blood. Dragon's blood is a miraculous thing, but it first comes with severe pain of the body. Your body is being changed to accept the blood, after all. You did well, Midorima-kun."

Kuroko turned away, heading for the door.

"Kuroko, wait. Where are you going?" Midorima quickly called out.

"Outside. I need to calm myself. It's too chaotic in here. I will return soon. In the meantime, Kise-kun, why don't you tell Midorima-kun about what I've discussed with you? About this inhuman body and strength of mine. Murasakibara-kun should listen too."

The strip of magic covering Kise's mouth was removed and he hurried to speak, "Kurokocchi! Wait!"

"It's alright. I will be fine. And I haven't forgotten about the explanation I owe both you and Midorima-kun. I will answer it once I return." Kuroko opened the door, stepping out without looking back, "You can tell them everything you know about me, Kise-kun. You should."

Kuroko shut the door closed with those words.

A few seconds passed before the magic binding Kise and the circle underneath Murasakibara disappeared.

"Kise."

Kise turned to Midorima. His wide eyes stared blankly at Midorima, then his expression became serious. He nodded.

He would do as Kuroko had asked, and tell them all that he knew.

* * *

 **T.B.C**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N:**

To Loucyanna:

Yes, Kuroko and his dragon will meet eventually! (: However, it's not anytime soon because I still have lots of things to explain. (This world – and its characters – that I'm building is rather complicated… What a way to dig a hole for myself.) Anyway, don't worry! They **will** meet, but not until a few more chapters.

* * *

x

* * *

Kuroko wandered into the forest, deep in thought.

Away from Murasakibara and – the now rather strong – Midorima, the blood within him that itched to fight finally calmed. His blue eyes took in his serene surroundings, and an unconscious smile tugged at his lips.

Something caught his attention then, and he raised his head to look at a large tree.

A slight pause, and then he was climbing the tree with practiced ease. Settling himself on a large branch, he came close enough to get a good look at what caught his attention. On the branch next to his, a black snake was curled up.

It was no ordinary snake though.

It had four legs and a pair of wings; a dragon snake. But the wings were not formed like that of dragon wings. While it could glide from tree to tree, it was impossible for a dragon snake to lift itself off the ground and fly in the sky. But looking at the black dragon snake who was watching him with wary eyes, Kuroko felt a wave of nostalgia hit him.

He did not reach out to the dragon snake, only content to watch from afar.

A gentle, soft sigh.

Kuroko closed his eyes.

After a moment, he began to speak.

"…I've been thinking, I want to find out the truth about this body of mine."

" _Do you mean the origins of your blood?"_

"Yes. Midorima-kun, Kise-kun and even Murasakibara-kun have said that the emperor is dangerous. If I am to have an unavoidable confrontation with the emperor, then I would rather first find out about myself. It may even benefit me."

"… _If you wish to do so, you will have to travel to the domains of the Dark Creatures. I can guide you. However, it would be best for you to travel alone."_

Kuroko's eyes slowly opened, unfocused.

"…I know. It's because all three of them have already been targeted by the emperor."

" _Not only that. The emperor's control of the Dark Creatures also extends as far as into the area near the forbidden forest. If they were to travel with you, it will gain the emperor's attention and they may become targets for the controlled Dark Creatures. There is a chance that the emperor will forcefully use those creatures to change them into mindless beasts."_

A soft yet deep grunt left Kuroko's lips.

"Should they be turned into beasts, it means that the emperor will then use them to fight against their own comrades?"

" _Perhaps. Or he may just kill them."_

"…"

" _Also, they are not like you. It is absolutely impossible for them to remain human once injected by that vile blood."_

Kuroko sighed.

"Then, I shall travel alone. But I wonder if they will let me go? How about you give them some information?"

"… _I cannot trust them. Humans are so weak-willed."_

"You will have to, at some point. Or you can use them the way you are using me right now. Isn't that fine?"

" _Alright. Then, I will tell you now. You can pass on the information. Remember that what I'm about to tell you is only a small part. They should not act recklessly."_

"Okay."

* * *

Upon returning to the inn, Kuroko did as promised.

He explained about how he had lost himself because he could not bear to face the fact that no one wanted him. That there was no one out there for him, no one who will accept all of him. And also about the blood that flowed in his veins and his almost uncontrollable desire to kill.

Because even his own parents did not trust him, not with how they watched him with wary and fearful eyes. Kuroko had always shut his eyes to everything at seemed _off_ about his parents, but when he was made to unwillingly face it all, he could not bear it.

He finally saw what he had shut his eyes to; his parents' lack of concern about him, leaving him by himself, refusing to let him around other kids, and their disgust filled gazes that changed to fear as he grew.

When Kuroko was young and didn't know any better, he killed many animals because of the urging of the Dark Creature's blood. Kuroko did not kill for food, but rather for the enjoyment of killing.

He didn't understand that it was wrong.

Not only that, but whenever he innocently brought them prey (rabbits, foxes) to show off his magic abilities, their expressions…

Kuroko paused then, unable to continue.

But it was enough, they all understood.

"The white dragon speaks of the truth. Who will be willing to be anywhere near a person that may one day kill them on impulse? Unlike others, I cannot be killed in the same manner as a mindless beast. I have retained my human intellect, and my magic powers continue to grow stronger. I am an abomination."

"That's not true, Kurokocchi! I don't mind being with you, I _want to!_ "

Kuroko shook his head.

"Kise-kun. You have people who would protect you without a second thought. Midorima-kun who heals you, Murasakibara-kun who defends you, and you yourself, your strength and courage to fight. But not everyone is as lucky. There are those who are normal citizens, and those with weak magic and fighting abilities.

"I… I am a very dangerous threat to those people. I understand it well. I do deserve to be loathed. Though I have trained myself to hold back, but even I can't tell when I will snap like a string that's been pulled too tight. So to hate me, to treat me as a monster, is the right thing to do, to protect yourself."

"That's… That's _wrong,_ Kurokocchi. You can't…"

Kuroko smiled, it was a little sad and slightly strained.

"You don't have to make excuses. It's the truth. It's alright, I will no longer fall back into despair like that time. I have accepted it all, so may I request of you to do the same?"

Kuroko's eyes flicked from Kise to Midorima to Murasakibara.

And then, slowly, reluctantly, he received three nods.

Kuroko's eyes closed in a gentle smile.

"Thank you."

The heavy atmosphere hung over their heads, making it difficult to speak.

Kuroko decided to be the one to break it.

"I have some other news for you. Will you listen?"

"What it is?" Midorima asked.

And Kuroko told them of his plans to leave.

" _What?"_ Kise exclaimed, staring at Kuroko in shock.

"This is something I have to do, so please let me go. I would like to know of myself first. It might even give me a leverage, and thus helping in bringing down the emperor." Kuroko calmly explained.

"But! We need you!" Kise shook his head vehemently, disagreeing with Kuroko.

There was a subtle change after his explanation about himself. Midorima and Murasakibara treated Kuroko with a slightly different attitude. It was not quite fear, but instead, there seemed to be a strange trust in the air that Kuroko was not expecting. They made the decision to believe in him, and they wanted to be with him.

The lump of feelings within Kuroko dissolved a little.

He too, wanted to return the trust they gave him.

But it was not yet time.

He needed to learn about himself more.

"Thank you, Kise-kun. But I can't stay. I must go. In return, I shall tell you some information the white dragon has told me."

" _Really?"_ Midorima gasped. Unable to contain the relief he felt, his entire face lit up.

Kuroko smiled.

"But please remember, this information is only a small part. The white dragon is still hiding many things."

"We understand." A chorus of voice met his words.

Kuroko nodded.

"The white dragon says that the emperor's body is not what you have to destroy. He would only get another body and continue his rule with that. To stop him, you must find his heart. Not the heart that keeps a person alive, but the _heart_ the white dragon is talking about is where the emperor is drawing his power from."

"Where is his heart?" Midorima asked, he was leaning forward so far that Kuroko offhandedly wondered if he was going to fall off the couch.

"I do not know. The white dragon refuses to say because there is chance that the emperor has moved the location of his heart."

The reactions to that was scarily similar. All three of them leaned back into the couches at the same time, disappointment clear on their faces. Soon enough though, Kise was the first to brighten up.

"At least we got some vital information on what we were doing wrong. Whenever we tried to attack the emperor, he would obsess over protecting his body so much that we all assumed that we had to destroy that to stop him. We were so dangerously wrong." Kise murmured, his positive attitude rapidly changing into something more cold as he spoke.

It had been a while since Kuroko had last seen Kise like this. Though his friendly and enthusiastic façade made it easier to approach him, Kuroko found it strangely relieving to have Kise drop it and display the cold, near heartless personality that he had met Kise with the very first time.

"He probably was too conscious of his position as the emperor. If he were to be seen covered in wounds, it would surely hurt his pride. And it also provided a good cover to mislead those who are against him. According to the white dragon, the emperor is a vicious man who willingly uses his sons.

"Among his sons, the one with the closest appearance to the emperor is appointed to become the next ruler. However, the actual fact is that first emperor takes over the body and mind of his own son. And so he continues to rule, only with a different body." Kuroko said.

Silence met his words, three pairs of wide eyes stared at him without a sound.

Kuroko hesitated slightly, but continued, "It would be best if you do not act like you are aware of the truth if you were to go against the emperor. It might cause him to lose himself in his desire to keep this hidden, and may result in dire consequences for your group."

Midorima finally reacted.

A soft hum slipped past his lips as he thought.

He then said, "That is true. This means that from now on, we have to change our plans."

Kuroko raised his eyes towards Midorima, who was watching him with a contemplative look. He nodded and said, "Kuroko, you can go do what you need to. The rest of us should return back to our main base and report this to our leader. It would not do to send such important information by a carrier bird. It could be intercepted."

Kise and Murasakibara stared at Midorima, and eventually, they nodded their agreement.

Kuroko stood up, giving them all a bow of gratitude.

"Kuroko," Midorima continued, "let us meet up sometime soon. Your strength is important to us, not just the knowledge you hold."

The white dragon's voice lowly rumbled in his head as she spoke, _"Seeing as to how you would need to enter the palace as well, it is better to go with a force. They will be useful."_

Kuroko smiled.

That was fine, if he were to join their fight on the pretext that he too, wants to stop the emperor, it would be easier to fulfil the promise with the white dragon. It wasn't that Kuroko was lying about trusting them, he really did trust and want to be with them.

Just that, his reason to fight and their reason was not the same.

"Where shall we meet, Midorima-kun?"

"How long will your journey take?"

Kuroko hummed, glancing to the side as he prodded the white dragon for an answer.

" _From here, two weeks to reach the entrance of the forbidden forest where the creatures are. Then, perhaps an estimate of three to four weeks to locate and find the answer you seek."_

"About a month and a half, at best. It may take longer."

Midorima's brows furrowed in thought, and a comfortable silence filled the room.

"Then… Two months. We will meet two months later. You will be heading into the forest, yes? They are all connected, if it's possible, you could meet up with us near the entrance of the North Forest."

" _That is fine, I will guide you there."_

Kuroko nodded his head.

"I understand. Then, Midorima-kun, Kise-kun, Murasakibara-kun, I'm leaving now. Let's meet again soon."

Kuroko bowed once more and then turned around to leave.

"Ahh! Wait! Kurokocchi!"

Kuroko turned back, blinking at Kise.

Kise was rummaging around the table, pulling out the drawers built into it only to slam them close.

"Where is it? I did place it here somewhere…" Kise mumbled as he continued to search.

Kuroko approached Kise, standing near him as he watched Kise fumble around.

"Ah! There it is!"

"Kise-kun?"

Kise flipped around, shoving a stack of lavender charms into Kuroko's hands.

"Healing charms! Midorimacchi made them just for you!"

"What are you saying, Kise! I just made them because I thought that it's necessary for when he suffers a fatal blow he can't heal!"

Kise glanced back at Midorima, a sly smile forming on his lips as his eyes narrowed into an equally sly expression.

"Exactly. You made them just for Kurokocchi. You even put off making mine to finish his stack of charms first!"

"Wha– What nonsense are you saying!" Midorima face was flushed red, and deliberately turned away from Kise's gaze.

"So cute, Midorimacchi!" Kise jumped onto Midorima, enclosing him in tight hug.

"Get off!"

Kuroko chuckled.

"Thank you, Midorima-kun. I will use them carefully."

Midorima cleared his throat, adjusting his glasses as he shoved Kise away.

"You don't need to. Just use as much as you want." Midorima mumbled.

"Alright. Then, I shall do so." Kuroko agreed.

"Here." The lazy drawl of Murasakibara's voice drew Kuroko's attention, just in time to catch a thin bundle of white charms tossed at him.

Murasakibara did not look at Kuroko as he said, "Advanced charms for defence, not sure if you need them but you can have them."

"Thank you, Murasakibara-kun."

"Hn."

"Be safe, Kurokocchi."

"I will."

* * *

x

* * *

"Hey, you guys."

"Huh?"

"What?"

"I'm almost done. There's only a little left now, so I'm going to allow you to run wild."

"Are you serious?"

"Really, really?"

"Yes."

"Yahoo! I'm leaving now!"

"Hah? No, you're not! It's me!"

"Huuuh?"

"Come on, don't fight. Both of you can go."

"Yes!"

"Don't kill anyone though. If you meet that little rebel group, drag them to me half-dead rather than giving me a useless dead body."

"Okay!"

* * *

 **T.B.C**


	13. Chapter 13

Kuroko stared at the dark, gloomy forest before him.

"Is this the place?"

" _Yes."_

The entire forest behind the point where Kuroko was, was filled with an eerie atmosphere. There was no life there; the birds were quiet, the leaves of the trees didn't rustle though there was a wind blowing.

"It looks rather intimidating."

" _An average person would get lost the moment they step into the forest. Because within the forest, there is a constantly shifting hidden illusion magic."_

"I see. You will guide me then?"

"… _Even for me, this forest is a difficult problem. I will do my best to identify the illusions, you have to avoid them at all costs."_

"If I get caught, I will die, won't I?"

" _It's highly probable."_

Kuroko stepped forward, his soft footfalls echoed loudly throughout the forest. He walked for a long time, taking sharp turns now and then under the white dragon's guidance. Time passed, and there was still no results.

"It would be accurate to say that I am very disoriented by this forest. I see no end to this."

" _Don't let yourself be disheartened. When you show weakness, this forest will take advantage and trap you in."_

He sighed, "Still, it is a dreary forest."

Kuroko continued walking, taking breaks now and then to refresh himself by eating and sleeping. It was good that he had the foresight to pack some fruits from the normal forest beforehand. There were fruits here as well, but they were of the strangest colours and completely did not look safe to eat.

"I'm running out of food. We've been in here for too long."

" _I would say we have been in here for about two weeks."_

"I see. I must hurry and find it."

* * *

"Midorimacchi, how much are we going to say to _him?"_

"Is there even a need to ask such a question? We have to tell him everything."

"But… the things that Kurokocchi told us, it seems like a very heavy topic for him. If we were to tell _him_ everything regardless, doesn't that mean we are disrespecting Kurokocchi?"

"Kise-chin. It's not like we can hide anything from _him._ I don't want to either."

"But still…"

"We will tell him everything. We have to be prepared for when Kuroko returns. When he learns of his origins, he may lose himself to it and even become our enemy."

"…"

"It's just a necessary precaution, Kise. Enough about that, let's move quickly."

"…Okay."

* * *

Kuroko stopped before a large clearing.

It was unlike an ordinary clearing one would find in a forest. It was more like a specially designed meeting ground. Tree stumps were placed in a circle too perfect to be natural, large rocks arranged in an order, and a large abnormally smooth fallen tree trunk.

"Where is this?"

His eyes swept from one end of the clearing to the other, over and over.

" _I cannot be sure, it looks different from what I remember. But it seems to be a place where Dark Elves gather."_

Kuroko blinked.

He slowly walked into the centre of the clearing.

And then, all around him, glowing lights appeared.

The air wavered, twisting, and the glowing lights started to form shapes. In the next second, Kuroko was surrounded by very humanoid looking creatures.

With skins so dark that puts a starless night to shame, overly large protruding eyes, bows and spears in their hands.

The Dark Elves.

"We have been watching you, non-human being."

Kuroko turned his head from side to side. The voice that spoke to him sounded like a unified chorus, he was unable to single out the highest ranked Dark Elf.

"I apologise for intruding. I have come with questions."

There was a stifling silence before the Dark Elves parted, and a regal Elf walked out. The Elf was covered with gold jewellery, and a simple yet elegant elven circlet rested on its forehead. Kuroko immediately knew that this was the one that ruled the Dark Elves. Unsure of the etiquette that Elves use, Kuroko simply decided to greet the Elf with a polite bow.

"Raise your head."

Kuroko did, straightening up.

"From when you stepped into this forest, we have been guiding you here, using the illusions to lead you to this place."

The Dark Elf was watching him with cold eyes, and the staff it was holding would ring every now and then. Without warning, it raised the staff and slammed it into the ground. The slight widening of Kuroko's eyes was all that betrayed his surprise.

"You have grown up well," the Dark Elf said, "though you have brought back something awful with you."

Kuroko stared at the Dark Elf.

"Do you know me?"

"Yes."

"How…"

The Dark Elf gestured to a large rock.

"Take a seat. I understand the questions you have."

Kuroko did as told, carefully seating himself on the large rock. The other Dark Elves all shifted into comfortable positions, but they did not sit. Only Kuroko and the Dark Elf leader sat.

The Dark Elf introduced itself.

"Veldrayne Ulvusi, is what I'm known as. I am the one who leads the Dark Elves, and I am male."

Kuroko blinked, and stared. His eyes strayed to the very plump chest of the Dark Elf.

"…You are male." Kuroko repeated.

"Yes, I am male. Because of that thing within you, I cannot show you my true appearance. How I wish to destroy that being which dwells in you." The Dark Elf growled.

" _A mere elf wants to destroy me? The arrogance of the elves really knows no limits."_

Kuroko did not respond to the white dragon.

"I understand. I am Kuroko Tetsuya."

"Kuroko Tetsuya. I see. Such a human-like name you have been given."

Though Kuroko knew it was rude, he couldn't help but to jump into the questions.

"May I ask, why do you know of me? I, what am I? Do you know the origins of this blood within me?"

"I sense urgency and desperation in you. Do you wish to know of yourself that badly?"

"I want to know."

"Even if it means that you can never leave once you have learned of your origins?"

Kuroko froze.

"What do you mean? I can't leave?"

"It all depends on you. After gaining knowledge, with even the slightest doubt, you will not be able to leave this forest. You are free to roam right now because of your ignorance. With knowledge, comes a heavy price. Do you still wish to know?"

"…Yes." Kuroko nodded firmly. "Yes, I want to know."

"Then listen closely."

* * *

x

* * *

Many, many years ago, when there was barely a handful of humans, the Dark Creatures roamed the world freely.

They hunted, they killed. They breed, they survived.

Their lives were peaceful. Though there were conflicts between the different races of Dark Creatures every now and then, they were easily resolved without bloodshed.

And then, came the existence of special humans.

Humans who wielded strange powers.

Their never seen before strength drove fear into the hearts of the Dark Creatures.

The Dark Creatures were hunted, they were killed.

And the terrifying humans grew stronger, grew in numbers.

They were so great that even Dragons gained an interest in the humans, and decided to aid them.

Divine beings like dragons never got along with the Dark Creatures, though they left each other alone. But a single misstep, and they would kill the Dark Creatures.

Now that they had joined hands with the humans who hunted down the Dark Creatures, the Dark Creatures had no choice but to flee, to make a safe haven within the abundant forests.

But the humans still chased after them.

They killed not because they were starving, but they killed for unjust reasons. Though the Dark Creatures had hidden themselves away, and barely interacted with humans, the humans would find reasons to have them hunted and killed.

They blamed the Dark Creatures for their lack of space to accommodate the growing population of the humans, so they hunted and hunted, taking away large parts of the forests where the Dark Creatures lived, and claiming it as a justified reason that they needed it more than the Dark Creatures do.

With the ceaseless hunting, many races of Dark Creatures became extinct.

Dragons too, they destroyed and burned down forests for the humans.

Eventually, the wisest of all Dark Creatures came forth.

The unicorns.

They were majestic creatures; with the gleaming black coats and their beautiful red horns and eyes.

The unicorns were wise and strong, though their size was considerably smaller than that of dragons, their knowledge and strength was on par. Rather than fighting, they could see that it would be futile to attempt to talk to the dragons into stopping.

So they took the entire race of Dark Creatures, and sealed them all into the forest to protect them.

They created an illusion with unmatched powers, making it so that humans could no longer enter the forest and hunt with no worries. Those who challenge the forests that were under the protection of the unicorns' magic, never make it back out.

However, that also meant that the Dark Creatures were trapped.

If they were to leave the safety of the forests, the humans can hunt them then. Even so, the Dark Creatures were thankful to the unicorns, willing them to become to one to lead all the Dark Creatures. And they did.

And so, they survived the threat of humans.

Years passed in peace, when unfortunately, humans discovered the existence of unicorns.

Unicorns were wise, but it did not mean that they came into the world with great knowledge. Young unicorns were just like other Dark Creatures. They grew from child to adult. And children would always have a mischievous streak in them.

Young, foolish unicorns would leave the forests, and be caught by humans.

The humans were an ever greedy race.

A creature they had never seen before, they wanted to own it. They turned the unicorns into what they like through their strange magic. The beautiful black coats were no more, replaced by a revolting white. Their red 'evil-looking' horns were changed into an equally revolting white as their coats.

The humans spun tales of unicorns, saying that those white unicorns were the 'real' ones, and that the black unicorns were pitiful cursed unicorns.

As a generally peaceful race with the utmost control over themselves, the black unicorns were finally angered.

Their blood boiled with hate and revenge.

Unicorns were wise, but there was a reason why such beings were still known as Dark Creatures. They, just like any other Dark Creature, felt the need to kill.

But unlike others, unicorns could rein in themselves so well that they pushed the desire to kill – the very thing that rules over all others – away, and _chose_ not to. They sustained themselves on a diet of berries and grass, refusing meat.

But the actions of humans finally drove them to an anger so great that they killed humans, ate their flesh, and turned their bones into dust.

Not just that, they killed those white unicorns (who were obedient only to the humans) as well.

They became the most feared monsters of the humans.

The humans begged the dragons for help, and help they gave.

Then the war between the two strongest creatures began, lasting for a long time. The unicorns' horn may seem like a feeble weapon as compared to a dragons' talons, but their horns were the only thing capable of killing a dragon.

It had strength so great that it completely ignored the existence of scales that were meant to protect the dragons, tearing right through them and piercing the heart of a dragon.

The dragons feared the unicorns.

They hated the unicorns.

And during their war that dragged on for many years, the humans watched them all. They chose which they deemed would benefit them most, and helped in eradicating the other opponent.

They chose the dragons.

They hunted down unicorns even while the war raged on, discovered the surprising benefits of unicorn's blood, and finally, ended the war by driving the unicorns to extinction.

And with that, came a new rule.

The humans' rule.

Amongst them, there was a human who had been secretly working on a spell. He had stored all the unicorn blood shed during the many years of war, as well as dragon blood. Hidden away from the rest of the humans, that man used the blood he had gathered to create a terrifying, disastrous spell.

As the humans flourished, kingdoms were built, and a hierarchy was formed.

And then, the humans had their own war.

The dragons did not aid the humans in their own war, which greatly displeased the humans. So that human man came forth, with the most treacherous spell ever known. The spell he created using the strongest blood of both sides; unicorns and dragons.

He controlled the white dragons using that spell, binding them to him forever.

That human had somehow surpassed the limitations of humans. No one knows how he had done it, but he had managed to separate his life and body. His life that he bound the white dragons to, with the support of the spell, became an everlasting force. It did not matter even if his physical body were to die a thousand times.

By using that spell, he commanded control over the dragons.

Because white dragons were the strongest of all dragons, those underneath them had no choice but to obey their orders. With the white dragons bound to him (and all other dragons), that human ruled the world.

It was such a vicious cycle that it even made the Dark Creatures pity the white dragons, though their hate did not disappear.

* * *

Kuroko lowered his eyes, his head spinning with all the information.

A cup of some sweet was placed next to him, though he wasn't aware of who did it. He picked it up, inhaling the relaxing sweet scent that was so painfully familiar, and slowly drank it.

Kuroko slowly lowered the cup, licking his lips.

His mind felt strangely clear after drinking.

He tilted his head at Veldrayne in silent question. A nod, and Kuroko asked, "What about the black dragons?"

A small smile curled at Veldrayne's lips.

"Black dragons, you ask? They are the most pitiable creatures."

"Why?"

"We still cannot forgive them, but much like our feelings for the white dragons, they are made to carry a sad fate."

* * *

That human man steadily rose to the top in just a few short years.

He became leader of the people.

And he was no fool. He had known that white dragons are weaker compared to black dragons, but because his ability was lacking, the most he could achieve was the control of white dragons.

The black dragons were too strong for him to bind.

So after he had the white dragons under his control, fearing that the black dragons would come to aid the white dragons in getting free, he accused them of false charges using his authority as the human leader.

Though the black dragons had been a great help in the war, that human leader spoke of false words, saying that the dragons had been cursed by the unicorns, that they had turned around and killed other dragons and humans. The leader's words were all imbued with a hypnotic magic, those who heard it are unable to become free.

So, like puppets, the humans starting hating the black dragons. They would go on hunts to kill them, it didn't matter if they could not get the dragon hearts. They simply wanted to erase the existence of black dragons.

Many black dragons were killed, turning it into a dangerous situation for them. They, who were hurt by the humans' actions, lost their trust in all humans and willingly gave in to anger.

If the humans accused them of things they did not do over and over again, unwilling to listen to their words, then the black dragons might as well fulfil those baseless claims!

They killed dragons, they ate humans.

They destroyed everything that displeased them.

Dark Creatures were not exempted, but as compared to the controlled white dragons, they killed far less Dark Creatures. Often times, if a Dark Creature were to meet with a black dragon unexpectedly, if they did not attack the dragon, the dragon would not attack either.

In fact, the amount of times that a black dragon would simply walk away was astounding.

The black dragon were the kindest to the Dark Creatures, but because they had killed many of them back during the war, it was not possible to not hate the black dragons. But should they have to make a choice, the Dark Creatures would pick killing a white dragon over a black dragon.

Because till now, white dragons still kill many, many of the Dark Creatures.

All of this was set forth by a single human. Though they have tried to stop that human, but with him protected by white dragons, it was a near constant fruitless process.

Dragons kill Dark Creatures, and Dark Creatures kill dragons.

Dragons and Dark Creatures, locked in an endless cycle of vengeance and suffering.

* * *

x

* * *

"I see." Kuroko sighed.

"Are you tired? Would you like a break?" Veldrayne asked.

Kuroko shook his head.

"No, I'm fine."

"Have some meat, you should eat well in order to go on."

Kuroko was handed a bundle of leaves, and he carefully unwrapped it. Inside, there was a well-cooked piece of red meat, together with a large fish.

With soft words of gratitude, Kuroko ate.

As he ate, he noticed that the glances of the other Dark Elves would sometimes be filled with hate, and other times, with an inexplicable awe. Kuroko did not understand. Because it was not as though the looks came from different elves, but the same elf would show such contradicting feelings!

Why were they looking at him that way?

Did it have something to do with him?

Kuroko finished off the food, gratefully accepting the cup of sweet smelling liquid.

"Now then, shall I began the explanation about you?"

Kuroko nodded his head enthusiastically.

"When the war with the dragons was about to come to an end, a few unicorns had slipped away. They knew that this was a war they couldn't win. In a last effort to prevent the extinction of their own race, they ran. And it was because they did, that the dragons and humans were fooled."

"So they are not extinct?" Kuroko asked.

"No, they are. Though they ran and survived, unicorns do not have long lives. Due to a lack of females, eventually, they died out. You were found in the forest by the last living unicorn, our lord, as a baby. You were barely a year old."

The Dark Elf glanced to the side, reminiscing.

"A goblin had messed with you. You were human, and it had tried to kill you in the worse way possible; by implanting its blood into you. You were no longer recognisable for your skin had turned red and bubbled like lava. Our lord was following the sound of your slowly weakening screams. When he found you, our lord decided to take you in, bringing you to us with the task to care for you.

"The lord would come by every few days to feed you his blood. Because a unicorn's blood contains strong healing properties, your wounds were healed over well. But still, you were turning into a monster. It was the first time we had ever seen such a young human child survive long enough to be turned into a monster. However, our lord did not like the idea of you turning."

The Dark Elf set his serious gaze on Kuroko.

"So he killed you. Cleanly, with a stab wound to your heart. And once your life began to weaken, he filled the hole in your heart with his blood. Over time, your body and heart that was immersed in unicorn's blood, adapted and changed. And then you were reborn as what you are now."

Kuroko was staring at the Dark Elf, slack-jawed.

"Wait, please wait. This… this does not make any sense. Unicorns are extinct, and the white dragon says that they were last sighted a thousand years ago, so how can a unicorn find me?" Kuroko was rambling, unsure if he was able to get his point across.

Veldrayne Ulvusi nodded his head.

"You're right, but you're also wrong. Right now, you are thinking of the _present,_ aren't you? That is wrong. When our lord brought you back to life, it took such a toll on your body that you have been asleep for a thousand years."

" _What?"_ Kuroko exclaimed, unconsciously standing up.

"But I… my parents…"

Veldrayne lightly pushed Kuroko back down, making him sit once more.

"You were asleep, but your body did not grow. We took care of you for a thousand years, watching over you as you slept. Protecting you from those who did not agree with the lord's decision and wanted to kill you. When our lord passed, many Dark Creatures immediately attempted to take your life for your origins as a human is unforgivable. You have caused our race quite some trouble.

"The human parents you have now had came to us back then, begging for a child. For many years, they were not able to bear a child. They came every single day for nearly a month. Seeing their earnest and desperate pleas, we granted their wish. We handed you over to them. The moment you were cuddled by those humans, your eyes opened and you began to cry. Your life that had been paused for a thousand years, had started once more."

Veldrayne let out a light breath, and continued.

"We told them nothing about you, for in your new life given to you by our lord, memories of the painful things you have experienced were all erased. But those humans must have had their own suspicions about you. Even so, they still cared for you, didn't they?"

Kuroko stared at the ground.

"…They did. At the very most, they would still give me food and a place to sleep even if they wanted to avoid being in my presence. My younger brother… No. He's not my brother, right? To that family, I've never had any relations. Then… do you know of my real family?"

Kuroko raised his head, his eyes seeking out the Dark Elf's.

But the Dark Elf shook his head.

"You were found abandoned in the forest. And the goblin that attacked you had been long been killed by humans. We do not know of your original birthplace. You must remember, that took place a thousand years ago. You won't be able to find any living humans from that time anymore."

"I see."

Kuroko managed a smile. His lips trembled and tears pooled in his eyes.

He lowered his head.

Silent tears dripped to the ground, the earth soaking it up and leaving no traces behind.

A couple of minutes passed.

Kuroko coughed, lifting his hand to wipe at his eyes.

He stood up.

"Thank you for telling me." He bowed, holding that position for the longest time he had ever given. Slowly, he straighten up. Firm, resolute eyes replaced the wavering ones he had before.

Veldrayne smiled.

"You are welcome."

He stood up, and the elves surround them shifted to attention.

"What will you be doing now?" Veldrayne asked.

Kuroko answered, "I will head to the palace."

Veldrayne Ulvusi nodded. "Then, if you still have questions, call upon my name and I will answer as long as you are still within this forest. But I won't aid you in anything else."

"Ah, please wait!"

Veldrayne paused, waiting for Kuroko to speak.

"That is… Um. I can use magic that no other human can; dragon magic. And my magic strength far surpasses ordinary humans… Do you know the reason why?" Kuroko softly asked.

"The reason is simple. It is because of our lord's precious blood. Remember, unicorns and dragons are of equal strength even if their size differ. With your changed heart, more than half the blood in your body belongs to that of unicorns. That is why you can use the strong magic of dragons, Kuroko Tetsuya."

Kuroko lowered his eyes.

"I see. I understand. Thank you."

The Dark Elf leader turned, and with a swish of his staff, all the elves turned into glowing lights and disappeared.

* * *

 **T.B.C**


	14. Chapter 14

Kuroko let out a heavy sigh.

His mind was still whirling with all the information he had received.

He closed his eyes, taking in deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself. Then he slowly opened his eyes, silently staring at the grey skies above.

"…I should get going." Kuroko whispered.

"Leaving so soon?" A voice came from behind him, high yet beautifully melodious. Kuroko only managed to turn his head before he was enclosed in a warm hug from behind.

"Come on, stay longer, little prince."

Kuroko stared. The most beautiful face he had ever seen was right next to him. Those perfectly formed lips, cute nose, and large eyes, they all formed a face so perfect that no matter how he looked, there was not a single flaw. Stunningly beautiful. It was like looking at a goddess from the tales of humans.

"P-prince?" Kuroko stuttered.

The lady next to him smiled. "Yes, prince. Little prince. You have grown up into a fine man."

"W-who are you?"

The lady chuckled, and on her back, translucent, delicate wings beat once. Even that simple action was filled with elegance.

"I am the one who rules all the nymphs, you may refer to me as Miysessleia."

Nymphs. This lady was a nymph. Understanding dawned on Kuroko.

"Little prince, why won't you stay a while longer?"

"Why do you refer to me as such?"

"Because you are the one who carries the closest relation to our lord who has passed. In your body, your very heart, flows with his blood."

"But I am not… I'm not someone so noble. I am nothing but a threat to all."

"Oh my, oh my. What's wrong? Has the accursed thing in you been causing you trouble?"

Kuroko snarled. No, it was the dragon within him that was reacting that way.

The nymph only laughed, her laugh was light and filled with such an entrancing melody that even made Kuroko feel like doing anything she asked.

She moved from behind Kuroko, standing in front of him.

She was tall, slim, with gorgeous hair cascading down her back. Her dress shimmered with each movement she made. The softest jingle rang out as her jewelleries lightly tapped against each other.

Her wings fluttered, distracting Kuroko.

"You don't have to listen to that thing." The nymph gently stroked Kuroko's face, "Did you know? I had aided the Dark Elves in protecting you. Seeing you all grown up, I feel like a proud mother."

She softly circled her arms around Kuroko's neck, making him step close to her.

She embraced him as though he was still a young baby that needed protection.

"How special you are, one who stands in the middle. Not human, not Dark Creature either. Hey, won't you come with me? I will protect you, I will give you only the best. So come with me."

Kuroko's eyes felt strangely heavy, and the beautiful voice of the nymph was like a gentle yet bewitching lullaby, luring Kuroko in.

A sharp pain flared in his palm, and Kuroko was awoken from his dazed state with a jolt.

Kuroko quickly stepped back from the nymph, and stared at his palm.

A thin blood trail in the shape of a scale had formed.

"What a pity. That thing interfered with us, my prince. Even though I was suppressing its voice, seems like it had other tricks. Such a pity, really."

"What are you trying to do?" Kuroko frowned, warily watching the nymph.

"Oh, nothing. I just want to be with you, little prince."

Kuroko's eyes narrowed with suspicion as he took a few more steps back.

"Running away from me? That makes me so sad. After all, I did protect you for many years." The nymph's voice was soft and weak, filled with so much sadness that Kuroko barely managed to stop himself from approaching her.

The nymph suddenly asked, "Little prince, how do you feel about your body now? I was listening as the Dark Elf explained things to you, but I want to know how you feel. Do you hate yourself?"

Kuroko paused, and then shook his head.

"You don't? Are you sure? Do you even fully understand what it means for you? Your blood, within it bears a Dark Creature's natural tendency for killing. Though what flows in you is our lord's blood; one known for their immense patience and control, but it does not mean that they don't feel bloodlust.

"On impulse, you may kill everyone around you. Do you think the humans will accept something like you? Your very existence is the most dangerous threat for them, and for us. But on the other hand, you are so pitiful. When you become nothing more than a beautiful yet crazed killing doll, you can even instil fear into the strongest creatures. It is because of that, that you won't be accepted wherever you go, not the humans nor the Dark Creatures."

Kuroko frowned.

What did she mean by 'killing doll'? It sounded dreadful. But for now, Kuroko decided to place that information aside.

"I know. I understand. The white dragon had spelt it out for me; it would have better if something like me never existed." He said.

"So you do know. Despised by the Dark Creatures, and loathed by the humans. You will be alone for as long as you live. So then, why won't you come with me?"

"Aren't you a Dark Creature as well? Don't you hate me?"

The nymph smiled. Her eyes sparkled, as though the night stars had gathered in her eyes, gently flickering.

"I had protected you for a long time, so I guess I may feel a little attachment towards you. You see, I am a nymph. Our entire race lies on the border between humans and Dark Creatures. Born in this forest, we are accepted. With our appearances so close to that of a human's, we are readily accepted by them as well. Unlike you, we have a place to belong.

"As the one who leads the entire race of the nymphs, if I were to agree, no other nymph can challenge my words. I will give it to you; a place to belong, where you won't have to be alone until your death."

Kuroko shook his head.

It would be easier to believe in the words of the lying human emperor than those of a nymph's!

"I am fine."

"No, you aren't. Being alone until your life ends is a very painful thing."

"I know."

The nymph giggled. Her laugh sounded mocking and strangely evil to Kuroko's ears even with its beautiful melody.

"No, you don't. Halfway through your journey, you will break."

Kuroko gritted his teeth.

Forcing the words through clenched teeth, he said, "I will be fine."

The nymph smiled warmly, but her eyes were cold.

"How stubborn you are, little prince."

"I have to go now."

The nymph frowned, seemingly reluctant to let Kuroko go. "To the palace? What are you doing to do there?"

"I have a promise to fulfil."

"Is that so? To kill the human emperor?"

"…If that's what it takes, then yes."

The nymph hummed, her melodious voice echoing in the forest.

"Such a pity. Alright then, I will let you go. Goodbye, little prince."

* * *

x

* * *

"Kise!"

"Mido-chin, behind you!"

"Damn. Kise, can you hold on for a little longer?"

"I'm fine, Midorimacchi."

"Like hell you are!"

"I'm fine, really. You shouldn't take your eyes off _that."_

"That's not what someone with a sword piercing through their stomach would say!"

"Murasakibara, form a stronger shield around Kise!"

"Okay."

"Hey, hey. Aren't you glad that I'm the one that found you guys? If it was the other guy who came, I bet your poor hearts will be in pain as soon as you meet him. He used to be one of you after all. Too bad that the emperor took him, huh? But you should be happy, because I'll be sure to bring all of you back to the emperor, all nice and mostly intact. You can have a touching reunion then."

"Tsk. Damn, to be intercepted by the emperor's aide so close to our base…"

"Oh, of course. We were always watching you. Our emperor likes having a rebel group, you see. You guys provide the best entertainment. But it seems our information needs some updating."

"Watch out, Midorimacchi!"

"Damn–!"

"What, Midorima. You can actually dodge that? I knew it. Somehow, you got stronger. Your physical and magic abilities have improved a lot since we last fought. But that's not the problem, the thing I'm curious about is how _unnatural_ it is. It's as though you jumped from being 'mediocre' to 'advanced' way too quickly. Hey, you. What did you do?"

"Unfortunately for you, you won't be getting any answers out of me."

"Oi, emperor's aide. If you don't move out of my way, I'll crush you."

"Oh, really? Why don't you try it then, Murasakibara?"

"Kise! I'm pulling out the sword!"

" _Urgh – !"_

"Here, the healing charms. Use them."

"That… really hurts a lot. I'm fine now, Midorimacchi."

"Oh? All healed already? Well, I suppose it's expected since you guys are the only ones able to go against the emperor for so long. Midorima Shintarou, one who excels at healing magic. Murasakibara Atsushi, the betrayer who holds the best defensive magic ever seen. And you, Kise Ryouta. You seem like nothing spectacular. But that can't be, right? If you're in this rebel group, surely you must be hiding some talent?"

"That's none of your business, you puppet of the emperor."

"How mean, you really need to watch that mouth. You should respect your seniors!"

"Hah. No way in hell, at least, not to _you."_

"Insolent. Then, I'll start with you, Kise Ryouta! You better show me all that you're hiding or you can just perish here!"

"What? Not going to obey the words of your precious master anymore?"

"I'm sure the emperor would be better off not having to deal with you, Kise Ryouta!"

"Kise-chin!"

"Woah, that was close! Thanks, Murasakibaracchi."

"Idiot! Pay more attention!"

"Yes, sorry, Midorimacchi!"

"Damn that agile bastard. Watch your back, Kise."

"Mido-chin, he's starting to really annoy me. I want to crush him."

"Murasakibara, can you catch him?"

"Hm, I can try. He's so fast that it's becoming tiring to defend three people at once."

"Midorimacchi, should we bring ' _him'_ out? If we make enough of a commotion, ' _he'_ will come forward, right?"

"You're right, Kise. That's our best choice now. We can't afford to clash with the emperor this early. He will probably retreat once ' _he'_ comes, because he knows he won't be able to win."

"Then…"

"Murasakibara, Kise. Cause as much of a commotion as you can, to draw ' _him'_ out."

"Understood!"

* * *

x

* * *

Kuroko tripped, falling face first to the ground.

"…"

He silently stood up, dusting himself off.

"… _Are you alright?"_

"I'm fine."

" _You should rest. You have not been sleeping well for the past three days."_

"I am fine. I want to hurry and finish this."

Using the trees to support him, Kuroko carefully began walking once more. He watched his feet, overstepping upturned roots and sharp rocks.

He tilted his head up, staring at the grey skies.

"As long as the skies are still this dark, it means that I have yet to leave this forbidden forest, right?"

" _Yes. I would not say that we are lost, but it is extremely difficult to find our way back. From the start, the Dark Elves were guiding you, so it was not too bad. But now, the illusionary magic is a frustrating annoyance."_

Kuroko hummed.

The soft crunch of dried leaves being stepped on rang out in the deadly silent forest, easily telling others of his presence here.

He had seen shadows moving around the past few days, making it difficult for him to enter a deep slumber. He constantly felt as though he was being watched, and if he were to let down his guard, there was a chance that he would be attacked.

He walked on for what seemed like hours. With each step, exhaustion weighed down on his tired, heavy body.

Reaching a fallen log, Kuroko sighed and decided to rest.

Seating himself down on the log, he buried his head into the makeshift pillow he made with his arms. The more he stayed in the forest, the harder it was to breathe. It felt like he was stuck in a sealed room, with oxygen steadily running out. Even the wind magic he called forth barely helped.

"I think I understand why this forest is deemed as forbidden." Kuroko mumbled. "If an ordinary human were to step into this place, they would mostly like suffocate within a few hours. I can feel it. I can feel my inhuman blood reacting to the environment. It must be because of that, that I am able to last this long. But now…"

Kuroko shifted, laying down on the log.

He closed his eyes.

"If I don't leave this place soon, even the blood within me cannot save me anymore."

He suddenly smiled. "Though it's a dangerous situation for me, I am feeling rather happy."

" _Happy? Even though you may die?"_

"Yes. It's not the thought of dying that makes me happy. But this, this feeling. This exhaustion, the way my body refuses to move as I wish. For the first time, I feel like a true human."

" _I suppose that is true. During the past war, I have seen certain Dark Creatures exploding into pieces without warning, even though no one was attacking them. And how unfortunate it is that you carry the same characteristics."_

"This inhuman body is too cruel. I am not completely cut off from all sensations; I feel pain like a normal person. Yet, when I'm fighting or when there's a threat to this life of mine, all my senses melt away. Some people might be envious of such an ability, but to me, I would rather choose to suffer…"

Kuroko's voice trailed off momentarily.

And then he continued in a soft, hushed tone, "Because if I do, then maybe, just maybe, I can experience what it's like to be an actual human."

Kuroko exhaled heavily.

A near suffocating silence filled the eerie atmosphere of the forest as the sound of his voice faded away.

A couple of minutes passed before he spoke again.

"While the magic of this forest is intriguing, I still have to somehow leave this place."

" _You can use your magic to get yourself out."_

"No. If I do, there will be a gap in the illusion magic that is protecting the creatures. I don't want to harm this place. This is their sanctuary, I cannot take it away from them."

" _Then rest for now. I will wake you in an hour. Your body is too tired."_

Kuroko made a soft sound of acknowledgement as he entered another fitful sleep.

* * *

"…"

"…What? Why are you staring at me?"

"The sight of you all tensed and cowering is amusing me."

"Hah?"

"The plan's almost complete now. I was wondering if you would be willing to do something for me."

"…What's with that? It's not like I can reject you anyway. You're the emperor, after all."

"Haha. That's not true, isn't it? The one who you fear is not _me,_ but the owner of this body I'm using, right?"

"Like hell! I don– !"

"Now, now. Watch your words. I have seen all the memories the owner of this body had when I took over. I know that you can't win against him. And since you can't win, you kneel before him and wag your tail. What a despicable dog you are."

"Damn you! Hurry up and say whatever it is that you want!"

"Splendid response. Alright. Go and bring me the new kid that joined our cute rebel group."

"There's a new one?"

"Yes. Somehow, he had managed to escape from me. I am curious as to how he did it, because I've been monitoring the rebel leader and I do not believe they have ever met."

"Are you going to use him?"

"If he fits, then yes. He has guts to enter the forbidden forest, so I am assuming he is hiding a different kind of power. And it seems to be a really strong one. It would be good if I can use it."

"A strong power?"

"A _really_ strong power."

"…Fine. It seems interesting so I'll go. How do you want him?"

"Alive, obviously."

"I don't mean that, it's a given that he has to be alive."

"Ah. Well, the lesser wounds there are, the better. Though if you have to break a few bones, that's fine too. I can easily fix something like that."

"And? You said that he entered _that_ forest? What if he never returns?"

"Then that's just too bad for me. But I will take a chance. Go and camp out in the forest, wait for him to return."

"Tch, fine."

* * *

 **T.B.C**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N:**

Thank you all for your reviews! They made me so happy~ Hehe.

From the next chapter onwards, it will be quite heavy with lotsa action.

Now then, please enjoy this chapter!

* * *

.

* * *

" _Wake up."_

" _Awaken, young child."_

" _You can't continue to sleep."_

" _Wake up!"_

Kuroko jerked, shooting up straight.

He quickly scanned his surroundings, heart racing and his breathing coming in heavy and quick.

" _It's been slightly over an hour. You should get moving now."_

"Oh." Kuroko sighed with relief.

He stood up, stretching himself out. Picking up his bag, he started walking once more.

Hours passed with little conversation between him and the white dragon.

Kuroko's body felt so heavy, taking one step after another was becoming difficult.

This was really bad.

He had to get out soon.

The loud sounds of his clumsy footsteps echoed in the cold, silent forest, playing out a crude, rhythmic tune that absolutely did not help in keeping Kuroko awake.

In a last ditched effort to continue on, Kuroko attempted to get the white dragon to talk.

"Don't you think it's about time you told me everything? I have learnt of the hidden history behind this kingdom, but that was only from the viewpoint of the Dark Creatures. What about you? What have you dragons learnt, what have you seen while being forced into servitude by the emperor?"

"…"

"I am already on my way to the palace. In order to uphold my promise, you will need to tell me everything."

"… _Fine. I will show you everything. From now on, you have to be extremely wary of those you meet. The emperor, if needed, also as the ability to forcefully invade someone's mind."_

"Yes, I understand."

A weight Kuroko did not know he had was lifted, and then the memories that had been locked away for many years came flowing back into him.

* * *

x

* * *

After the white dragons were enslaved, the emperor began to use them like toys.

With the captive white dragons, lower ranked dragons were left with no choice but to obey their orders. The emperor issued orders for lower ranked dragons to sacrifice their lives, to create enjoyment for the humans.

Dragon hunting was something the emperor came up with, he made used of how humans are so easily influenced by success. He started it with those close to him.

He formed a party of Royal Knights, and sent them to hunt dragons.

The lower ranked dragons were under orders to fight minimally, to let the humans pierce them with their swords. And finally, be killed and have their hearts retrieved.

Success after success, the people became eager to hunt down dragons.

It wasn't just the Royal Knights who hunted anymore.

Tons of adventure groups were formed; consisting of those wanting to become knights or ordinary people who wanted to gain recognition.

The emperor would even sacrifice some of the white dragons. Though he only allowed his Royal Knights to hunt and kill them. Ordinary knights who tried would end up dead.

Over time, the amount of dragons lessened.

That must have been the emperor's aim, for though he wielded power far superior than any other human, his magic still had limitations. Controlling so many dragons was straining the spell, so he reduced the number of dragons. From time to time, he would send a few white dragons to kill the black dragons.

Not only that, but on a whim, the emperor would even force the dragons to fight each other to the death for his entertainment.

He then hoarded the hearts of fallen dragons, using it as a fuel to power his spell.

However, there was one adversity that the emperor couldn't overcome; gaining full control over the old white dragons.

Having been alive for far much longer than humans, the ancient and powerful magic that old white dragons hold repelled the emperor's attempts at control. And their experience of combat made it extremely difficult for the emperor.

While newly matured white dragons may gain knowledge, they would still lack the actual experience needed to use that knowledge to their advantage. And so they fell to the emperor's spell like little children.

The emperor feared the white dragons he could not fully control. Having the black dragons at large were enough, so he had the white dragons under his control to kill the old ones. Though they were under control, the newly matured white dragons were still kin – their family. The old white dragons, with their minds still relatively safe from the emperor, could not bear to kill their family.

Because their sentiments got in the way, they allowed themselves to be killed instead.

This carried on for many years, until there was only a few remaining white dragons who could resist the emperor.

And the emperor continued to grow stronger.

Absorbed by his own greed and desire to rule, the emperor had already lost every bit of righteous judgement. To him, this entire world is of no importance. He only does whatever pleases him!

He captured the old white dragons, binding them with spells they could not break. He did not bother with the exhausting task to control their minds anymore, not when he could physically bind them down.

When Kuroko first met the old white dragon, she was the last one left.

The palace was now filled with young dragons that are under the emperor's full control. The final wish of the last old white dragon was to free all dragons from the emperor. For her, revenge was not what she was after. She simply wanted all the pitiful dragons to be free once more.

And Kuroko, with his inhumane abilities, was the only one who could achieve this.

With his human upbringing, though he had the blood of vile creatures, there was no way he could forsake the white dragons. Kuroko grew up under a human guidance where they believe the white dragons to be their gods. That belief was ingrained into him, one that he couldn't quite shake off.

And as much as he wished to, he could not bring himself to fully hate a white dragon.

While perhaps gaining allies from the Dark Creatures would have been useful, but the Dark Creatures had their own reasons to stop the emperor, and they would not hesitate to kill white dragons to reach that goal. That was a risk that the white dragon could not take.

The white dragon knew all this, and so, with the last of her strength, she implanted her consciousness into the young Kuroko.

And awaited the day he grew strong enough to free them all.

* * *

x

* * *

"…"

Kuroko's eyes were narrowed in thought, silently processing all that the white dragon had shown him.

He never stopped walking, pressing on even as he was distracted. Eventually, his face relaxed.

"I understand," Kuroko murmured softly.

He wasn't happy about it, but he truly understood the reason why she would go so far as to use him.

He raised his head, glancing up at the sky.

"Are we nearly out of the forest?" He asked.

" _We're almost there. Up ahead, that's where the magic seem to be the thinnest."_

Kuroko nodded silently, trudging on.

He did not know how much time had passed, but finally, when he passed through the gap between two large trees, he could feel a strange tingling sensation on his skin. And then he was thrown onto the ground as his body suddenly erupted into a coughing fit.

Large breaths of air flooded his lungs.

Tears leaked from the corner of his eyes as he attempted to stabilize himself. His fingers dug into the ground, supporting his body as he heaved.

"…I, I am out?" Kuroko gasped, turning his head back to look at the forest.

" _You did well. We have safely left the forest."_

Kuroko's eyes wandered around.

An overwhelming sense of relief took over his body as he noticed the green trees and the bright sunlight.

And the skies were no longer grey.

Little bursts of laughter escaped his lips, and an unconscious smile formed.

He was safe.

He had left the forest, alive.

Kuroko pushed himself to his feet, taking in deep breaths of fresh air.

He started walking, footsteps light. He was filled with so much relief that all the exhaustion that was crippling his body had mysteriously disappeared. The smile never left his face as he walked. When his stomach rumbled, he would look up, keeping his eyes on the trees to search for fruits and edible plants.

He took many detours to climb the trees, harvesting the fruits.

He travelled like this for a day, and for the first time in a while, he was able to get a good rest.

Now, he only needed to meet up with Midorima at the promised location.

* * *

Kuroko blinked, staring at the sky.

For a whole week, he had peaceful travels. Just a little more walking, and he would be able to reach the meeting point.

Kuroko had settled himself down near the base of a tree, taking a short break.

The weather was clear, with white fluffy clouds gently drifting in the skies. He couldn't take his eyes off that beautiful blue of the sky, not when until recently, he had been trapped in a space where there were only dark skies.

As he gazed at the sky, he realised that something was strange.

In the far distance, a little black dot was steadily becoming larger. It was so fast that every time he blinked, the dot appeared two times larger. Kuroko did not take his eyes off it as it grew.

Faster than lightning, it suddenly crashed into the forest with a resounding crack, uprooting numerous trees with it.

Kuroko did not move.

He couldn't move.

The beast in the distance shook itself, sending dirt and debris flying everywhere. And then it began to walk.

The ground trembled with each footstep of the beast.

Closer and closer, the beast approached.

And there, before Kuroko's eyes, was a dragon.

A black dragon.

The black dragon turned its head left and right, glancing around. Each step it took left a deep imprint on the ground.

As the dragon blinked, it noticed the frozen Kuroko.

It paused, staring at Kuroko with its large eye.

Neither the dragon nor Kuroko moved, locked in a stare.

The dragon's pupil suddenly narrowed into slits, turning it's aura into a terrifyingly evil one.

Kuroko did not know how long it lasted for, but he was unable to move, unable to even look away. Without his own will, his gaze remained fixed on the dragon's. It looked as if the black dragon was honestly contemplating killing the tiny human before it.

Kuroko knew if the dragon really wanted to kill, he probably would not be able to escape unharmed.

It would be a miracle if he was able to have all his limbs intact while he ran.

But then the dragon suddenly blinked, breaking their eye contact.

Kuroko's body sagged against the tree, feeling strangely exhausted. It felt like he had just been through a mind game with the dragon, though he had not even moved.

The dragon ignored Kuroko, bending its head to lick at its leg. It was then that Kuroko noticed a thin cut on its leg. As the dragon licked, the cut healed before Kuroko's eyes.

This was not a new scene to him. He has seen his own body heal over countless wounds.

Once done, the dragon raised its head, staring at Kuroko.

Kuroko tensed up.

Was it going to attack him now?

In just three large steps, the dragon stood directly in front of Kuroko, so near that he had to raise his head high to maintain eye contact with it.

Then an astoundingly odd thing happened.

A soft crooning began to echo around the forest.

Kuroko's mouth fell open in shock.

Slowly, the dragon lowered its head, and with the gentlest of touch, pressed its snout into Kuroko's chest. Images flashed through Kuroko's mind; the endless forests, a large isolated clearing, a cabin, the joy of flying in the sky and lastly, Kuroko himself. All in the viewpoint of the dragon.

This… This was the dragon's memories.

The dragon pulled back, watching Kuroko as it crooned once more.

"…You…" Kuroko gasped.

Slowly, stiffly, he lifted a hand up to the dragon's face.

The dragon's eyes closed as it pressed its snout against his hand.

"…You are… Can it be?" Kuroko murmured.

The dragon opened its eyes, and blinked once.

Kuroko's heart clenched. It was so familiar, so painfully familiar. That expression, that gentle way of blinking. Without warning, tears rolled down his cheeks. And whatever force that had left him frozen, unable to move, vanished as he flung himself at the dragon.

He gripped the dragon tight, burying his face into the dragon's scales.

The rumbling, happy growl of the dragon rang out in the forest.

As its tail swished from side to side joyfully, it somehow avoided destroying the trees.

When the dragon's voice faded away, Kuroko still stayed pressed up against the dragon, refusing to release his hold.

Minutes passed quietly, only the softest sound of Kuroko's ragged breathing and the trees that rustled with the blowing wind filled the silence.

All of a sudden however, Kuroko was gently nudged away from the dragon. He lifted his face, staring at the dragon in confusion.

 _Name._

Kuroko blinked, startling at the very distinct male voice softly whispering in his mind.

 _Call my name._

Kuroko gasped. He couldn't take his eyes off from the dragon's own snake-like pair. Those golden eyes lightened, like a light was lit from within.

And then Kuroko's mouth moved, forming words without his consent.

"He who bears the burden of the jewels on his forehead, I call upon thee to heed the words of your intended contractor. Hear me now and obey, Astaroth!"

The dragon tossed his head back. A loud, piercing roar shook the ground, the trees swayed violently and even the clouds swirled. They gathered into a spot in the sky, spiralling into a circle and forming strange symbols that could not be read. Lightning crashed down around where Kuroko was, the aftershocks throwing him off balance, causing him to fall to the ground.

The ground erupted into flames, but rather than destroying the forest, it drew out a large golden magic sigil onto the earth.

Kuroko and the dragon was placed into the centre of the circle.

The dragon lowered his head so low to the ground, there was barely a ten centimetre distance. And for the first time, Kuroko noticed the large jewels buried in the dragon's forehead.

A large crystal shaped stone laid in the middle of two smaller crystals. The smaller crystals were in a slightly tilted position, as though to point towards the largest crystal. Together, they formed a mark that bore such a compellingly regal and dignified feel.

Softly glowing, reflecting even the faintest light.

It was so alluring, so captivating.

 _Enthralling._

The dragon growled.

Kuroko tore his gaze away from the jewels, blinking at the dragon. And again, the dragon produced the same growling. It sounded almost like laughter.

 _State all conditions you have before this contract is sealed._

The dragon's voice informed him.

"…All I ask of you is to heed my calls wherever you may be. That is the only thing I desire. Other than that, like I have promise you so many years ago, you are free."

The magic sigil glowed.

Black, ominous-looking chains burst out from it and bound both Kuroko and the dragon. They cut into the dragon's scales, tearing straight through them like a hot knife through butter. And Kuroko was not any better; countless deep wounds were burned into him wherever the black chains touched.

The blood that was spilled from both Kuroko and the dragon began to swirl around them. Magic that Kuroko couldn't understand flowed out from the sigil endlessly, enveloping Kuroko and sending him into a pitch-black darkness.

And within the darkness, a familiar pair of golden snake-like eyes appeared.

 _I am Astaroth._

 _I am Kuroko Tetsuya._

 _We give our souls as a sacrifice to this contract._

 _Engrave this contract unto our offered souls, and until the day our souls perish, may this contract never cease._

Kuroko's body glowed softly with a golden light.

 _Contract has been established and sealed. Your conditions have been carved into me, and I shall never be able to break them until your death._

Kuroko found himself nodding.

He hesitated a little before saying, "Is it alright for me to call your name? Isn't your name a sacred thing to you?"

 _It is fine. You are my chosen contractor, it is only right that you call me by name. As my first contractor, no other human is able to form a contract with me unless you agree. It matters not that they know my name._

Kuroko flinched.

"But, doesn't that mean that you do not have a choice? …I have never meant to trap you."

 _No, this is a condition I placed upon myself. Because I only wish to be with you, to serve you. So please be at ease, Master._

Kuroko paled slightly at the form of address, but he understood the reason for it. Though that word alone implies a distance that can never be crossed between a master and servant, but if it's him and the dragon, Kuroko was sure that he could close that distance.

"I understand."

And with those words, the darkness around them shattered.

Kuroko covered his eyes with his hands to block out the sudden light.

A growl from above had Kuroko glancing up, into the dragon's eyes. The wounds sustained earlier had disappeared, and the dragon's scales glimmered in the sunlight.

Kuroko was fine too, not a trace remained where the injuries were.

"Astaroth," Kuroko whispered, reaching up to pat the dragon.

The dragon crooned.

"Wow. This is the first time I've ever seen a black dragon making a contract with a human. Looks like all that waiting paid off."

Kuroko whipped around, immediately on full alert as he stared at the man leaning against a tree not too far away from where he was.

The man smiled as he was noticed.

Slightly messy black hair, grey eyes and bearing a wide, arrogant smirk.

He shifted, standing straight in a proper position.

He lifted his right arm, clenched his fist, laying it where his heart was, and bowed; a Knight's Salute. Though it appeared more to be mocking Kuroko than actual respect.

"I have come to meet you under the emperor's orders. Nice to meet you, new kid of the rebel group. The name's Hanamiya Makoto."

* * *

x

* * *

Kise circled around the trees, making sure to observe the ground for any fresh footsteps.

There was no change.

With a heavy heart, he headed back to where Midorima was. He watched the way Midorima leaned against a tree, eyes closed and brows furrowed into a deep frown.

"Midorimacchi."

Midorima's eyes opened.

"Kise. Any changes?"

Kise shook his head.

"It's been almost four months now. Kurokocchi is late."

Midorima lightly pushed up his glasses, "He may have been caught by the forest's magic. He did go into a forbidden area, after all."

"Do you think he's fine? Kurokocchi is still alive, isn't he?"

"I don't know. We can only hope. He has the blood of a Dark Creature, and on top of that, he is very strong. If it's him, he may be able to enter and leave the forest. The only one with that ability so far is that leader of ours. It would be good if Kuroko is able to do so as well."

Kise lowered his eyes, squatting down. He idly traced the ground with a broken twig.

"Midorimacchi, are you going to increase the magic circles used for detecting a person's presence?"

"No, this is all that I can do. I cannot maintain more than seven magic circles at once."

Midorima gaze landed on the ground not too far away from where they were. His green magic circle was hidden just beneath the earth, to not arouse suspicions. Magic used for detecting was very complex and taxing to the body. Back at the inn, he was only able to create one because he still needed to maintain the barrier.

If he were to truly concentrate on the magic circles, even then, his limit was three.

Seven magic circles was something Midorima never thought possible, not until Kuroko had fed him the dragon's blood.

Midorima did not know what possessed Kuroko to give him such precious blood.

Was it out of guilt? Or was it out of pity?

He had always wanted to know, but had never found a good opportunity to ask. And now Kuroko had vanished, there was absolutely no traces of him in the forest. Which meant only two things; one, he still had not left the forbidden forest. Two, he was captured and taken away.

Midorima grunted.

If fate was not on Kuroko's side and he was taken away, that just means even more trouble for their group. Having to fight against someone like Kuroko was as good as courting death. And to make matters worse, they did not know where his limits are. If they were to fight recklessly, Kuroko might die.

"Midorimacchi, how many healing charms have you made so far?"

Kise's sudden question reeled Midorima back from his thoughts.

"I have made enough to last two battles with the emperor's aides."

"I see. Murasakibaracchi is making his at a slower speed, could the reason why you are able to make them so fast be due to the dragon's blood Kurokocchi gave you?"

"…Yes, it is. Especially since it was from a black dragon. My power has increased so much that it is difficult to adjust. But it's beneficial to us. And with the increase in healing charms I can make, we can use less power when fighting against the emperor."

"Yeah, you're right, Midorimacchi. We should conserve as much power as we can so that we'll be strong enough to go against the emperor."

Kise raised his head, staring into the distance.

"Until when do we simply wait for Kurokocchi? If he gets targeted by the emperor, he could be in serious trouble! We were lucky that we were so close to the base when we were ambushed by that agile aide serving the emperor. If ' _he'_ didn't come out to stop the fight, we would have suffered badly."

Midorima turned away from Kise.

"Did you forget? Kuroko is strong."

"Yes, he's strong!" Kise stood up. "But Midorimacchi, it comes with a heavy price!"

"Even so, he's not so weak as to fall so easily in a fight. You've seen how much strength he had back when we were at the inn, didn't you?"

"But still! I don't want Kurokocchi to get hurt. I want to help him as much as I can."

Midorima stared at Kise, whose eyes were fierce and determined. He knew that if not for their leader's order to wait, Kise would have already gone looking for Kuroko.

"Would you like to train, Kise?" Midorima asked.

"Train?"

"Your sword skills are great, but your magic capabilities fall short. I am offering to train you, Kise. If you want to protect someone, you have to first be strong enough to protect yourself."

Kise's eyes widened.

"Yes! I want to train, I want to get stronger!"

Midorima adjusted his glasses, the slightest of a smile on his face.

"Then, let's start right now."


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N:**

Sorry for the late update! I've been busy.

Please enjoy!

* * *

Kuroko stared at the man; Hanamiya Makoto.

"…You are one of those who serve the emperor?" He asked.

"Yes." Hanamiya replied pleasantly. "But I won't say that I'm very close to him."

"Is that so? You said that you came to find me."

Hanamiya smirked.

"Because you are interesting. Though the emperor may have sent me to you, I don't particularly feel like obeying his every word. You are really strong, aren't you? That's what makes it interesting."

Kuroko frowned.

"Interesting? Why?"

A little smile appeared on Hanamiya's face, steadily growing into a manic grin as he spoke.

"I wonder how is it that you're so strong? Surely you must have trained so hard, so tirelessly. I want to see it. I want to see your face twisted into sorrow, fear and helplessness as you lose against me!"

Hanamiya's aura suddenly exploded.

While he didn't have a visible aura like Kuroko, Kuroko could still feel the strength that was pouring out endlessly from Hanamiya. The prickly, near painful sensation of his aura filled the area around them. Tinged with the desire to destroy, to kill.

Kuroko took a step back.

Hanamiya grinned as he fired countless spells at Kuroko, the soft incantations for the spells never once stopping. Kuroko dodged, avoiding them all with fluid grace.

Some of the spells that Kuroko dodged were in fact aimed at the dragon, but the dragon only blinked, ignoring them as they disappeared when they made contact with the dragon's scales. Kuroko wasn't worried. Even back when the dragon was young and immature, it had easily deflected the magic Kuroko threw at it.

Compared to Kuroko's magic back then, Hanamiya's current magic spells were nothing more than pesky flies.

But Kuroko did not let his guard down.

Hanamiya's aura was too similar to Kuroko's.

To kill, to destroy. To torture, to cause pain.

To have such an aura, Kuroko could not take Hanamiya lightly. A usual mage's aura was filled with the need to protect. No matter how harsh their actions may be, but the one reason behind all that was that they had something that they wanted to protect, so their aura never changes, just a steady flow of the need to 'protect'.

So Kuroko could tell; Hanamiya was still hiding his actual strength. The spells thrown at Kuroko were too weak, making it easy to dodge. It seems like Hanamiya was more intent in guiding Kuroko somewhere. Towards a waiting trap, maybe?

Kuroko glanced at the dragon out of the corner of his eye.

As the emperor's aide, the probability of the emperor himself watching this fight was high.

Though the black dragon was strong, but like the white dragons in the past, it was still immature. It would be bad if it got caught by the emperor.

As newly matured black dragon, if the emperor really wanted to, he could probably forcefully control the dragon while completely disregarding the distance. It was too dangerous to leave the dragon here. Kuroko would never allow the dragon to fall into the emperor's hands, even if it meant having to send the dragon away not too long after their awaited reunion.

Kuroko casted magic beneath his feet, propelling himself upwards. He landed on the dragon's head.

 _Master?_

The dragon blinked, confused.

"Leave this place. It's too dangerous. The emperor may be after you." Kuroko whispered.

 _I cannot obey. I will not leave you here._

Kuroko clicked his tongue.

"I'll be fine. You need to leave now. Hide, stay away from the emperor's eyes. Be wary of all creatures you meet. And once I'm done here, I will call for you."

The dragon slashed its tail at Hanamiya, the speed of it surprising him. He was sent flying into a tree, the harsh collision resounding out. The dragon had been careful to avoid destroying the forest, only felling three to four trees with that attack.

 _I cannot obey._

Kuroko growled.

This dragon! He had always known that it was stubborn, but it felt like it got worse after its maturation!

Kuroko couldn't wait any longer. He did not know how close the emperor may be or what magic traps he had sent Kuroko's way.

Kuroko moved, laying a hand on the largest jewel upon the dragon's head.

With a stern voice, he said, "Leave now. It's an order, Astaroth."

The dragon froze, and within its golden eyes, their contract mark faintly glowed.

A low, clearly dissatisfied growl filled the air, even shaking the earth.

… _Yes, Master._

The dragon started to spread its wings, and Kuroko jumped off the dragon.

Hanamiya had barely survived the dragon's attack by casting a shield to protect him. No, it would be more accurate to say that he had activated it on time. Kuroko had noticed the single magic circle that was always floating next to Hanamiya, but he had not bothered to find out what it was.

Hanamiya was truly a smart man.

He did not recklessly attack without defences, but instead, he casted a protective magic circle and kept it close until he required it. This way, there was no need for an incantation. It was because of that, that Hanamiya was still alive after taking a direct hit from a dragon.

Kuroko smiled.

Truly impressive, to be able to fight with not just power, but brains.

However, no matter how smart a man Hanamiya was, he still needed incantations for the rest of his spells. And that only gave Kuroko a big advantage.

He leisurely sent a strong magic spell at Hanamiya who was standing still and preparing a large scale attack. Hanamiya had no choice but to dodge, and it was enough to break the spell he was chanting.

Hanamiya glared at Kuroko.

The dragon behind Kuroko took off to the skies, rapidly disappearing into the distance.

Hanamiya's eyes followed the dragon.

"What? You're letting it leave now? Won't it be easier to have it fight for you?" Hanamiya asked.

"I have my reasons for doing so. But should you really be so distracted?" Kuroko returned.

Before Hanamiya's rather shocked gaze, Kuroko's eyes turned silver.

"…What's with those eyes?" Hanamiya frowned.

Kuroko smiled. "Nothing much."

A large silver-blue magic circle appeared in the sky, and covered the entire forest in faint silver light.

"What are you doing?" Hanamiya growled.

"It's just a barrier." Kuroko hummed. "I don't like destroying nature, so I took great pains to learn this. It took a long time for me to master, and I can't cover too large of an area with it. But it should suffice for our fight. Right now, this barrier has transported us into a little pocket dimension. The trees all around are only illusions, so there's no worry about destroying them."

Hanamiya suddenly smiled, cocking his head.

"Impressive magic with no incantations. I knew you were strong."

He chuckled lowly, and then it grew into full blown laughter.

"Good, now let me see your face painted with fear! This is fun, so fun!" Hanamiya laughed. "I want to savour it as you fall from that little throne you're on."

"Is that so?"

Kuroko blinked, tilting his head.

"Well, you're strong, so I suppose you could give me a good fight." Kuroko hummed.

Hanamiya snorted.

"You, what's your name?" Hanamiya asked.

"Oh, did I not tell you?"

Hanamiya snarled, impatiently glaring at Kuroko.

Kuroko chuckled.

"If you manage to give me a worthwhile fight, then I shall tell you."

He lifted a hand, a little magic circle floating on his palm.

"Shall we begin, Hanamiya Makoto?"

"Hah. Just what I wanted. Prepare yourself!"

Hanamiya thrust his hand out, and started his incantations. His magic circles formed with impressive speed, floating all around him.

A short incantation also spilled from Kuroko's lips. His little magic circle drifted upwards, until it was above his head. And in the next second, it expanded, growing larger. Four smaller magic circles appeared around it, all connected to the main by thin threads of magic.

Altogether, they formed a perfect square.

Kuroko glanced at Hanamiya, who was watching with him with the eyes of a hungry predator.

He smirked.

Yes, this will be a fun fight.

* * *

x

* * *

"Hey, hey. Emperor!"

"Hm? Oh, you're back? How pitiful of you to run away from a fight."

"That's –! I didn't have a choice! That bastard leader came out to protect his little group!"

"I know. No matter what, it still makes you look like a pathetic coward. And that leader had the nerve to send me such a terrifying glare before destroying the Dark Creature I was using. What a merciless man."

"My apologies for my disgraceful conduct."

"Hmph. Forget it."

"But it is as you said, that man is merciless enough to kill even when he has the power to save. I really don't like that leader either. Anyway, if I may ask, what are you watching?"

"You mean this? It's the fight between Hanamiya and the new rebel kid."

"Oh? Woah! Looks interesting!"

"It is. What I'm really curious about is the black dragon behind him. It doesn't look like it wants to attack, how strange."

"…That black dragon is huge! I've never seen a dragon this large before!"

"Hm. Yes, the size of the dragon is abnormal."

"Why don't you take that dragon, Your Majesty? It looks like it would be useful."

"Indeed. Perhaps I should… Oh? What's this?"

"Uwah! Quick, Your Majesty! The dragon is flying away!"

"Hm. Earlier, that kid was on the dragon's head, wasn't he? Don't tell me he has made a contract with that dragon? How amusing. It's alright, I will let it go for now. It does not appear to be an old dragon, so I should be able to get it under my control easily."

"You're really letting it go?"

"Yes. But if I were to see it again, that's when I will take control of it. Now, as for that rebel kid… Let's hope he does not get broken by Hanamiya. It would be boring if he falls so quickly."

"I see. Oh? Eh? What's that? Are you serious! Your Majesty, look, look! His eyes! They changed colours!"

"Oh? Oh my. What beautiful silver eyes, brimming with maliciousness."

"Why the hell did his eye colour change? Is that even possible? What did that kid do?"

"Well now. How mysterious."

"Woah! Your Majesty! They just vanished!"

"Calm down. They're just in a different dimension. Over there, can you see that large silver-blue magic circle? It's controlling the barrier the kid placed."

"Seriously? I've never seen such magic before."

"It's a magic that's not possible for humans."

"What do you mean?"

"I have seen it before, a long time ago. It's a magic of the dragons."

" _What?_ Are you saying that kid is using dragon magic? Impossible!"

"Its structure seems a little different from an actual dragon magic, but no doubt, it's derived from dragons. Truly interesting. To think a mere human can achieve so much. Unless, he's not quite human? Hmm."

"…Do you want him, Your Majesty?"

"I do. I can tell that he holds many secrets. How is it that he's able to wield such magic? Oh my, I'm really curious."

"Shall I go?"

"That would be good. You can stop Hanamiya from killing him. I want him brought to me alive."

"Sure! But…"

"What is it?"

"How do I get them to show themselves?"

"Destroy the magic circle in the sky."

"That's all?"

"It will break the casted barrier, and reveal them. However, be prepared to be half-killed."

" _Eh?"_

"That magic circle is very, very strong. There is a high chance that you will probably end up dead even before a quarter of it is destroyed. It has a very annoying ability of reflecting magic. All magic thrown at it will be directed back, twice faster. Dodging it is difficult, move a step too slow and your life will end because of your own spells. It's an extremely irritating magic circle."

"…"

"I remember it so clearly. When those disobedient dragons had attempted to hide themselves away using that magic, I was nearly killed trying to break it. I was lucky to have gotten hold of an immature white dragon just before they casted the spell. When I couldn't damage it at all from the outside, I used the dragon to destroy it from the inside."

"…Then, in other words, it's a suicidal move if I try to break it?"

"Who knows? That kid is not a dragon. Though the base of the magic is surely a copy of the dragons', I don't think the strength would be on par. You might be able to destroy it."

"…Eh. …Your Majesty…"

"What?"

"Can't you destroy it from here?"

"I can't. I can't feel how strong it is through the projection. Unfortunately for you, I have no desire to have the magic be reflected back and turn my palace into shambles."

"…"

"Hurry up and go. Weren't you the one who offered to go? If you die, I'll be sure to make good use of your body as a sacrifice for our plans."

"…I understand. Then, I'll be leaving now..."

"Just get going already."

* * *

x

* * *

Kuroko stared down at Hanamiya.

Murasakibara's white defensive charm was floating before him, protecting him. It had activated on its own accord, sending Hanamiya's attack back at him. Now, Hanamiya laid unconscious below a tree.

Kuroko lifted a hand, plucking the charm out of the air and turning it around.

The magic symbols on the charm were glowing.

Kuroko sighed.

"How troublesome." He murmured.

Hanamiya had indeed been trying to lure him into some kind of trap, and Kuroko went along with it because he was curious. But Hanamiya was taking too long in building it, and Kuroko lost interest. What use is there for a good trap when it takes too long to set it up? If Kuroko had not been waiting for Hanamiya and had gone straight into attacking him seriously, it would have obviously resulted in Hanamiya's death even before the completion of the trap.

Their confrontation would have ended right away then, turning it into a boring fight. Kuroko didn't want it to end so soon.

Because he still wanted to play.

So Kuroko decided to create his own trap.

Or rather, he _copied_ it.

It was a simple method; he would guide Hanamiya into certain directions which were filled with awaiting magic spells. Like a trapped rat, Hanamiya could only run around in a useless attempt to escape. This was most likely the trap Hanamiya had planned for Kuroko, but with how long he took (to the point where Kuroko could already roughly guess the kind of trap), Kuroko decided to steal it instead.

Kuroko's casting speed was much faster than Hanamiya's, so it was easier for him to spread out countless magic circles to surround Hanamiya.

He enjoyed the irritation on Hanamiya's face as he realised he fell into his own trap, and then it morphed into anger.

Kuroko laughed upon noticing his anger.

Anger usually clouds a person's judgment, but Hanamiya was able to surpass that and skillfully throw small complex spells at Kuroko.

Kuroko was greatly pleased.

He had been enjoying their fight, even allowing a few of Hanamiya's attacks to hit him. Hanamiya was strong, albeit much slower than Kuroko.

So when he saw Hanamiya preparing a large magic attack, he was eager to take it on as well. He wanted to know the strength Hanamiya's large spells carried.

But before he could subject himself to the attack, the white charm had activated, protecting Kuroko from it. And Hanamiya was just a little too slow to dodge, so he was hit by his own reflected magic.

"Just what kind of charm is this?" Kuroko frowned, flicking it back and forth. "What did Murasakibara-kun do to the charms? I've never heard of a charm activating on its own."

Kuroko mumbled to himself, inspecting the charm closely.

His bloodlust was abruptly dimmed when the charm interrupted the fight, returning him to a more stable state of mind. He hadn't lost himself, not yet anyway. The longer he fought with Hanamiya, the more malicious his aura grew, but he still had enough sanity to provoke Hanamiya into releasing large spells.

Kuroko approached Hanamiya, observing his bloodied form. He tapped him with his foot, but Hanamiya didn't wake.

The white charm started to struggle in his grip, and Kuroko released it.

It floated up, near Kuroko's head, and seemed to be waiting to take on attacks.

Kuroko stared at the charm. His face was set into an expressionless mask, but his mind was a complete mess.

The charm was acting as though it had a _life._

Like it was _sentient._

A paper charm.

 _A paper charm was sentient._

Kuroko was shocked motionless, though nothing showed on his face.

Hanamiya groaned then, stirring. He was finally waking up.

The white charmed twitched.

Kuroko heard him, but he couldn't take his eyes off the _fidgeting_ white charm.

"…I should probably talk to Murasakibara-kun about this…" Kuroko murmured.

Tearing his gaze away from the charm with difficulty, Kuroko blinked down at Hanamiya. Hanamiya's eyes were barely able to open, and blood flowed over one eye from the wound on his forehead. He actually looked really pitiful.

When he had seen Kuroko's wounds healing before his eyes, the shock Hanamiya received greatly amused Kuroko. There was a major difference between Kuroko's and Hanamiya's appearance. Hanamiya was scratched up everywhere, with multiple moderately severe wounds. And he had a broken ankle too.

On the contrary, Kuroko stood completely free of injuries, though his clothes were torn in some places. It was too bad that neither Midorima's nor Murasakibara's magic charms were equipped with the ability to restore clothes.

"Maybe I should try searching if there exists such magic, though I would need to head into the city for that. But it would probably be too dangerous…" Kuroko mumbled, half distracted.

Now, faced with the slowly waking Hanamiya, Kuroko was unsure of what to do with him.

With his bloodlust and killing urge quelled, Kuroko simply gazed at Hanamiya. Hanamiya was the emperor's aide, which meant he held lots of information that the rebel group needed. But at the same time, Kuroko did not know how loyal he was or just how badly he had been hypnotized.

If he were to spare Hanamiya's life and hand him over to the rebel group, it may lead to the emperor finding out about whatever plans they had. Or that Hanamiya would give them false information.

As he stared at Hanamiya (who was not conscious enough to identify his surroundings), a sense of frustration began to build up.

"Should I just kill him? That would makes things easier." Kuroko huffed.

" _You can give him to that black dragon of yours. It would be good practice for such a young and newly matured dragon."_ The white dragon's voice softly rumbled in his mind.

"Practice?"

" _Yes. This man is from the emperor, so there is bound to be a certain degree of hypnosis affecting him. Have your black dragon undo the hypnosis. It would be good training for him to know the amount of strength he can use on a human. His past with you is not beneficial to him, not with how you are barely human."_

Kuroko grunted.

" _If he uses you as a basis for a human's strength, an average human would surely die even when the dragon only meant to lightly injure them. If you truly care for that dragon, then don't allow him to make such a mistake."_

"…Alright." Kuroko agreed.

Kuroko moved to lift Hanamiya up, when his barrier suddenly shook.

His head snapped up, and he saw the silver-blue magic circle controlling the barrier rotating wildly.

Someone was attacking his barrier.

Could it be the emperor?

" _I highly doubt so. We have used this spell against him before, so he knows the true strength of it. If he were to come personally, your barrier would break immediately with just one attack from him. This is someone else."_ The white dragon quickly cleared away his uneasiness, reassuring him.

"I see. Whoever it is that's attacking, they seem pretty strong."

" _So it seems. But you are frighteningly stronger still, based on how your barrier does not even have a single scratch after that attack."_

Kuroko chuckled.

His barrier shook again.

"Oh, another one. So they are still alive after the first attack? Looks like they know about the magic circle's ability to reflect magic."

Kuroko lowered his head, observing the injured Hanamiya as he contemplated.

He nodded his head after a while, and his barrier shook a third time.

He closed his eyes, seeking out the connection between him and the black dragon.

"Astaroth."

Kuroko could see the black dragon lift his head from where he was curled up on a mountain.

"I have a task for you."

 _A task, Master?_

"Yes, I've got an aide from the emperor here. The one you attacked earlier. I want you to break the hypnosis the emperor placed on him. Don't kill him, just bring him to me once you're done."

 _Understood, Master. Shall I fly over now?_

Kuroko opened his eyes, blinking at his silver-blue magic circle in the sky.

And then he smiled.

A sinister, blood-chilling smile.

"No, not now. I have something to take care of first. I will go to you once I'm done here."

 _Yes, Master._

Kuroko grabbed the floating white charm and stuffed it into the folds of his attire. With a light pat, he said to the charm, "Stay there for now. You can come out later."

" _You…"_ The white dragon started to say something, but then she stopped.

Kuroko blinked.

"What?" He asked.

" _You are acting strangely."_ She said.

Kuroko raised an eyebrow. "I'm not. Aren't I still the same? I'm even conversing with you well."

"… _Perhaps it may have been my imagination."_ Though the white dragon said that, her voice still betrayed her suspicions about Kuroko's current state.

A faint feeling of displeasure pricked at him, but Kuroko chose to ignore it, reaching down to grab hold of Hanamiya's shirt.

Once he had him in a firm, secure grip, Kuroko raised his free hand to the sky.

He faced his palm toward the magic circle, a little ball of light that glowed with his aura resting on his palm. It connected to the barrier in the sky.

And then Kuroko clenched his fist.

His barrier shattered with a loud boom.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N:**

 **To Rinfantasy:** Nope, it is not. The contract between Kuroko and the dragon is agreed upon by both parties in a Master and Servant manner. The Emperor, however, did not form any contract with the dragons at all. What he did was that he forcefully took control of the dragons (and bound his life to theirs against their will) through a magic spell.

 **To eanniemae:** Oh no! I can't have my reader's mind exploding, so I'll answer one question of yours. (: So far, there have been no plans to have the dragon transform into a human. I doubt that there will be any in the future as well, but who knows? My muse is very, very fickle.

XXX

Warnings: Gore.

I am a sadist, so my readers, prepare your hearts for this chapter, okay? :D

* * *

x

* * *

"Woah! What was that?"

Kuroko blinked, taking in the shocked reaction of the person standing before him.

That person was taller than Kuroko, and seemed to be of average build. His blond hair was short all around; a hairstyle that didn't need much styling.

"May I ask if you were the one who was attacking my barrier earlier?" Kuroko asked politely.

"Eh? Ah, you're the owner of the barrier? Yep, I was the one messing with that complicated barrier!" The guy replied in a happy tone.

A slight smile curled at Kuroko's lips. This man had answered him honestly, without a single trace of a lie. Either he was naïve enough to believe that anyone would take well to the truth, or that he had a reason not to be hesitant. After all, Kuroko's barrier wasn't weak, and the abnormally strong power he possessed could be seen from that.

The man was currently staring at Kuroko.

He smiled widely then, as though greatly excited. "I recognised those eyes! Those silver eyes! Uwaah! What's with that strange aura thing? And you look really strong!"

Kuroko slightly raised his eyebrows at the antics of the person before him.

"Are you one of the emperor's aides?" Kuroko questioned.

The guy nodded.

"Yep! I came here to meet you. The emperor wants you, you see. Oh right, my name is Hayama Kotarou!"

Kuroko hummed.

"Is that so? Does the emperor want me that badly to send two people after me?" Kuroko murmured to himself.

"Hey, hey," Hayama lightly crossed the distance between him and Kuroko, "What's your name?"

Kuroko tilted his head.

He extended his magic sensing, and found a small goblin sitting on a tree not too far away. He stared at the eyes of the goblin, noting its colour; pale, yellowish white. So the emperor was watching too.

"Hey? What are you looking at?" Hayama asked.

Kuroko smiled.

"Looks like the emperor is here with you." He said.

Hayama nodded cheerfully.

"He always is. Isn't he a good leader? He takes care of his subjects!" Hayama proudly proclaimed.

Kuroko blinked.

Ahh. This guy was a goner. The emperor's hold over him was too strong. Unlike Hanamiya who neither insulted nor praised the emperor, this Hayama Kotarou before him was just full on praises.

Kuroko frowned a little, thinking.

…Should he bring him along too? For the black dragon…

"You didn't tell me your name yet, new rebel kid." Hayama suddenly said.

Kuroko was pulled back from his thoughts. He observed Hayama carefully, and realised that one of his eyes was swirling with a milky white substance. It looked similar to a magic circle. Was the emperor controlling him right now? Had he overtaken the consciousness of Hayama?

"You guys seem to obsess over my name." Kuroko commented.

Hayama did not say anything, only patiently waiting. He did not even blink.

Kuroko didn't mind though, and he continued, "Names are important things, aren't they? So important that even dragons can be controlled once their true name is found out. Using that same logic, through an appropriate spell, humans can be controlled that way too, right?"

Hayama snarled, and various magic exploded around Kuroko.

Kuroko did not bother moving from his spot, a thin shield made from his aura protected him from the debris. He knew that the magic was not aimed to kill him, more like a warning.

"Who are you?" Hayama growled, or rather, the _emperor_ did.

Kuroko chuckled.

"Are you scared, Your Majesty? That I know your secrets?"

"Insolent! Do you not care for your life?"

"Of course not. In my own ways, I do treasure this life."

"Even so, you dare to take such an attitude with me? Or are you saying that you're stronger than me?"

Kuroko's eyes narrowed slightly in thought.

"Hm, I'm not sure actually. Your Majesty is a strange being after all, so I'm unsure how my powers will react to you. If I were to meet you personally, I would know." Kuroko casually responded.

Hayama's eyes widened, and he froze up.

"What did you just say?" Hayama spat out, his voice filled with rage.

Ah, no. Not Hayama, but the emperor.

Kuroko sighed.

Really, using someone else to talk to him like this was cheating. It was Hayama's voice and appearance, so Kuroko still didn't know the emperor's true identity.

" _Do you want to die that badly? If you were to meet him personally, he would surely force you into servitude with all his power!"_ The white dragon harshly scolded him. _"And majority of the emperor's magic is stronger than yours, you foolish child!"_

"Oh? Is that so?" Kuroko blinked.

A slight twitch of his hand and that was when he realised he still had a grip on Hanamiya. He tossed Hanamiya into a tree, making sure the impact was strong enough to knock him out again.

He then concentrated his attention on the – trembling with anger – Hayama.

Kuroko's silver eyes flashed as he smiled.

He lifted a hand, and shot a magic spell at the goblin the emperor was also controlling, causing it to explode.

And Hayama returned Kuroko's display of magic with various types of magic spells of his own, all aimed at Kuroko. This time, with intents to kill. Though the emperor was using Hayama, the power coming from him was all truly Hayama's.

And he was _strong._

Kuroko could feel it, he could feel his powers reacting to Hayama's.

A large grin spread across his face as he raised his hand, raining down strong magic spells on Hayama. He was not affected even as Hayama nimbly dodge them. To be able to avoid this little amount of spells is expected of one with so much magic power.

"Your Majesty, this aide of yours is quite agile, isn't he?" Kuroko remarked.

"This is to be expected. Little rebel kid, who are you? Just where did you get that information from?" Hayama (or rather, the emperor) snarled as he hurled magic at Kuroko.

Kuroko jumped back, easily sidestepping the spells that came from his right.

"Do you mean the information I have on you? Well now, I wonder how?" Kuroko smirked. "Currently, I don't feel like telling you anything. Too bad, isn't it, Your Majesty?"

"Enough. I don't care even if you have lost all your limbs, I'm bringing you to me. If you won't talk, then I'll just make you beg to do so."

Hayama started raining spells on Kuroko. They came from everywhere; front, back and above. Those spells were even double-layered, meaning that it would explode twice upon impact. Kuroko was surprised at first, but he managed to safely avoid them.

As he swiftly moved around while dodging, his clothes were steadily being torn apart even more. Kuroko lowly hissed in annoyance. Rather than the spells destroying his clothes, it was the little sharp stones from the debris flying around him that were causing the tears. They were currently still within the forest after all.

Kuroko softly clicked his tongue. "I would rather take those wounds upon my body. I don't have any magic to restore my clothes, unlike the way I can heal such minor injuries easily." He grumbled.

Kuroko manipulated his aura to form a thicker shield, and the debris bounced off it. Using so much of his aura this way was a little dangerous, because it left him more susceptible to the bloodlust of his powers.

But Kuroko didn't care about that now, there were more important things to be concerned about. Such as an opponent before him that Kuroko wanted to fight.

Hayama raised his hand, smirking at Kuroko.

"I have received permission…" He started saying as a large ball of magic began to take form on his palm.

Kuroko blinked, quickly searching out Hayama's eyes for the signs that the emperor was still controlling him. There wasn't any. Had the emperor released his control of Hayama?

"…That I can break you." Hayama finished, tossing that large ball of magic at Kuroko.

Kuroko's eyes narrowed.

He jumped back, throwing an equally strong magic ball at the incoming attack to counter it. Their magic attacks collided and exploded. Hayama stumbled back a few steps. Kuroko quickly casted magic circles around Hayama, all attacking at the same time.

Hayama laughed as he shielded himself.

"You should do better than that! I know that you're strong! If you don't release more of your powers, you're gonna end up all broken, you know?" Hayama happily announced.

Kuroko hummed. "Really? I'm looking forward to that." He lightly spun around, gathering up small rocks to throw them around Hayama.

Hayama paused, blinking down at the rocks.

"What are you doing? You can't be seriously trying to hit me with pathetic rocks like these, right?" Hayama raised an eyebrow, staring at the rocks incredulously.

Kuroko nodded, "Of course. There's no way I would do something so useless."

And then, the rocks all around Hayama burst into halves and shot out flames. Hayama jolted, surprised. He quickly stepped back to avoid it, but ended up being burned by the whips of flames coming from behind. Hayama growled, using water magic to douse the fire around him.

"What – !" Hayama gasped in shock when he realised he couldn't put out the flames.

"Hayama Kotarou, what's wrong? You just told me to release my powers a little more, didn't you?" Kuroko chuckled. He tilted his head to the side as he said, "Ah, was it too much for you? Can't even put out a little fire?"

Kuroko lifted a hand, tracing out the image of a perfect circle.

The whips of flames around Hayama waved wildly, intertwining together and forming a tight cage with Hayama trapped inside. The scent of burning flesh filled the air. Hayama snarled, dozens of magic circles appeared and shot out strong water spells to destroy the flaming cage.

Hayama stumbled out, bleeding heavily from his wounds.

"You." Hayama spat out.

Kuroko smiled. "Yes?"

"I will show you. I will show you the strength of one who serves the great emperor!" Hayama shouted. And then he began using incantations. More and more magic circles appeared around Hayama as he continuously chanted his incantations.

Kuroko hummed, simply staying still as he watched the amount of magic circles increase.

"This is where we differ." He murmured softy.

Hanamiya and Hayama.

They were human, pure humans.

And as human mages, in order to gain the ability to use magic, they needed a medium. An incantation is that medium. They have to call upon the magic around them to borrow its power. Then they channel this power into something possible for them to use through the incantations, granting them magic power. The magic strength would depend on the human's affinity with the magic elements.

The better the affinity, the stronger the power they can draw.

Of course, there are cases where human mages do not chant incantations. The ones who do not need to have the highest affinity, which allows them to use certain amounts of magic without needing to control it with words. But if they require even stronger power, then incantations are a must.

Though incantations are best for channelling magic, it is also the greatest weakness of any human mage.

They must defend and create openings at once, so that they will be able chant those incantations.

A single distracted moment would be enough to end their lives.

However, Kuroko is different.

While his body may appear human, he was closer to that of a Dark Creature.

And Dark Creatures are _made_ of magic. While they can bleed like a human, their cores are actually magic.

They have no need for silly things like incantations to borrow magic power, not when the source is within themselves, a part of their being.

"I will break you!" Hayama shouted.

Kuroko startled slightly, shaken out of his thoughts.

Hayama was glaring at him harshly as he launched the spells he had prepared at Kuroko. With each spell activated, the magic circles around Hayama disappeared one by one.

Kuroko carefully avoided them, sometimes destroying the spells, making sure to not overlook a single one of them. Those were impressively strong spells indeed, but Hayama had mixed some weak ones in too. Rather than picking out which ones were weak enough to let them hit him, Kuroko just decided to avoid everything.

When the onslaught of spells unexpectedly stopped, he raised an eyebrow at Hayama.

"…Oh." Kuroko frowned.

Looks like the emperor has taken control of Hayama again. The magic circle within Hayama's eye was glowing brightly.

"Little rebel kid, you are truly, fascinatingly strong." Hayama said.

"Why did you decide to come back after leaving so abruptly, Your Majesty?" Kuroko's lips twisted into a mocking smile.

Hayama's face hardened as he glared fiercely at Kuroko.

"That does not concern you!" He spat. In the next second however, Hayama's face relaxed as he broadly grinned, saying, "I am now here to personally witness it."

Kuroko cocked his head. "Oh? To witness what?"

"To witness your despair. I enjoy watching my prey struggle futilely before they fall into my hands. That moment where they lose hope and give up, is so enjoyable that I can't help wanting to see it over and over again."

The air suddenly began to crackle, and the magic force around Hayama increased in rapid amounts.

Kuroko blinked.

Was the emperor using Hayama's body to cast an extremely strong spell? Perhaps, even a spell that Hayama does not know of? An incantation spilled from Hayama's lips, the power it was trying to draw out caused the wind to pick up. It drew in so much strength that even the trees were forcefully bended, made to bow against the relentless wind.

Hayama's clothes blew wildly in the wind as he remained in the centre of what appeared to be a tornado gathering around him.

Kuroko shielded himself from the heavy torrent of flying debris by using his aura.

The magic force was growing and growing, filling up the area.

Kuroko's heart raced with anticipation, watching the collecting power with wide eyes.

His aura blazed madly, reacting to the magic.

Yes, more.

Gather more magic force.

Strong to the strong, that was what the inhuman blood within Kuroko had dictated. As Hayama calls for an increasingly stronger power through his incantations, Kuroko too, becomes stronger.

Kuroko laughed as his silver-blue aura started growing even more vicious and malevolent.

" _Enough, foolish child. Stop this fight and run away. I knew something strange was going on with you. Hurry and leave before you get consumed –"_

"Shut up." Kuroko growled, harshly cutting off the dragon's words. "You're an annoyance."

He shut his mind to the presence of the white dragon, pushing her aside as he observed Hayama.

Hayama's body was attracting so much magical force that Kuroko thought he could see it gathering around the man. As expected of the emperor's aide!

The longer Kuroko watched Hayama, the more he felt soothingly lightened.

His body started to relax, and a strange yet satisfying sense of happiness swirled in him.

His very blood was singing out in great joy at the overwhelming power it felt. The power rose from within him, bringing him glorious delight. It was so wondrous, so sublime! His head went light, a pleasant buzz slowly drowning out everything.

Kuroko grinned.

What was this feeling? For the first time, he was able to feel such satisfaction.

This pleasure, this elation.

It filled him up so much that it was painfully maddening.

But it was fun, so fun!

What an exquisite feeling.

Little bursts of laughter bubbled up, and steadily grew into full-blown maniacal laughter.

Kuroko removed his shield, ignoring the little wounds he received; his body would heal them all anyway.

He used wind magic to propel himself up high into the sky.

"It's too bad, Your Majesty." Kuroko whispered, face twisted into a sneer. "Unless you are to come to me personally, no matter who you send, no matter who you take control of, they will not be able to win against me."

Kuroko raised his both his hands.

But he froze for a moment as he suddenly recalled the words of the nymph that he had met back then.

" _Pitiful… A beautiful yet crazed killing doll…"_

Kuroko frowned, shaking his head to get rid of that echoing voice. Whatever that was, it was not important. Because right now, Kuroko had things he wanted to do. He had no need to listen to anything else.

Neither is there any need for useless thoughts.

Only this.

This ravenous, insatiable desire for destruction.

He concentrated once more, spreading out his arms. A large magic circle appeared behind him, at least five times larger than he was.

It was different from his usual silver-blue magic.

This was pure silver, and the gentle highlights from the setting sun made it seem even more otherworldly and mesmerizing.

Oh, how beautiful and alluring it was, shimmering in the dying light.

And yet, a frighteningly ominous feeling formed.

This was not an ordinary magic spell.

This spell was _wrong,_ it bore nothing but pure _evil._

The earth began to tremble, deafening thunder cracked through the serene skies. With a loud bang, the ground split and raised. Deep cracks spread out from the forest, rapidly tearing past the forest grounds and into the villages.

Piercing screams rang out as houses fell into the deep crevices created.

Trees were uprooted, some smashing into the fallen houses.

Volcanoes started to tremor, shaking the ground beneath them. Burning hot toxic fumes and ashes rose from the vents of the volcanoes, turning the skies cloudy and dark.

" _What are you doing! Calm yourself at once, you foolish child!"_

Kuroko's palm was bleeding, but there was no pain. He could no longer feel anything. In a corner of his mind, he could see the white dragon struggling. Struggling to… control him? She wanted to control his body?

No… He won't allow it!

The white dragon roared at Kuroko, _"There's a volcano next to a large group of human dwelling! Do you plan to slaughter an entire village? Do not let yourself be consumed by the madness of your powers!"_

The white dragon's voice had so much force behind it that even Kuroko's body shook, but he could not hear her. Her voice was nothing more than a background blur, it was impossible for him to understand her words.

And he didn't care to try.

There was only one thing he wanted badly right now.

Kill.

He wanted to kill.

Kill.

Everything that stands in his way, everything that annoys him; destroy them!

Yes, kill.

Kill.

Kill.

 _Kill!_

* * *

x

* * *

"Midorimacchi!"

Kise jumped over a fallen tree, and was barely able to avoid the tree that came crashing down from behind.

"Midorimacchi! Just what the hell is happening!" Kise shouted.

"Run, Kise! Head straight for the base!" Midorima shouted back, overtaking Kise as he ran.

"Damn it! This isn't an ordinary earthquake!"

Kise cursed as he ran hard, trying to keep up with Midorima and dodge both the falling trees and deeps cracks from the ground that kept popping out of nowhere.

"Mido-chin, Kise-chin!"

Murasakibara stood at the door of their base, waiting for them. The entire base was floating, covered in layers and layers of magic. They would be safe there.

Midorima whipped around, grabbed hold of Kise, and casted magic beneath their feet.

They made it into the protective barrier of the base just before the ground violently shook and simply fell away, leaving behind a gaping hole. If one was to look, it would be impossible to see the end of it, for there was only total darkness.

"That was close." Kise wheezed, coughing as he struggled to regain his breath.

"Hurry, Mido-chin, Kise-chin. _'He'_ has urgent news to inform us." Murasakibara said, and then reached down to pick the both of them up. His large strides easily brought them to the living area where _'he'_ was waiting. Neither Kise nor Midorima objected to being carried, they were too preoccupied with trying to get their breath back.

"Midorima, Kise."

A very familiar cold voice greeted them.

They glanced up, straight into the eyes of their leader.

"We are currently in a very dangerous situation. The earth is being destroyed, extinct volcanoes are about to erupt, countless humans are trapped. All of this is the result of one thing." Their leader efficiently reported.

"What is the cause?" Midorima asked, a little breathless.

"A power resonance."

"A _what?"_ Kise gasped. "That's impossible! There's no spell that upon usage, will create such a disaster like this!"

Their leader shook his head.

"I do not know how this came about. But the feeling I'm getting from this resonance is not like human magic. In other words, it bears a strong hint of Dark Creature's magic. And it's filled with malicious intents, and a killing desire so powerful that I could feel it clearly even from this distance."

Midorima's eyebrows furrowed into a deep frown.

Dark Creature's magic?

A never seen before magic disaster?

…Because there had never been a person who was capable of doing that?

"…Don't tell me…" Midorima murmured, his eyes going wide. "…Kuroko?"

"Kurokocchi? What? That can't be!" Kise babbled, but his conviction was weak. Even his voice trembled a little. Because though Kise did not want to believe it, but he knows just how abnormally strong Kuroko could be.

"Kuroko? Kuroko Tetsuya? The one who escaped from the emperor?" Their leader asked.

"Yes, the one we told you about." Midorima nodded.

"I see. There is a possibility that it may be him. Midorima, Kise, Murasakibara, you three will go to Kuroko. Contain him if you can. I have already sent out helpers to move the humans who are near the volcanoes. I will personally stop all volcanoes from erupting, so get this Kuroko under control."

"Yes, understood!"

* * *

x

* * *

Hayama had stopped his incantations long ago, and was only staring dumbly at Kuroko with wide eyes.

The emperor had relinquished his control over Hayama, running back to his palace to take care of the mess it became.

Hayama fell to his knees before the powerful magic, his legs not willing to obey the orders his mind was giving to run away. His body trembled violently in the face of Kuroko's insane smile, and those silver eyes that were so _empty._ He knew, Hayama knew, that it is no longer possible to reason with a person who had eyes like that.

When he had first seen the boy through the emperor's projection, and the second time they met as well, Hayama could see intelligence within those eyes, so he wasn't afraid.

But now, this _thing_ before him didn't seem to hold any intelligence.

No… That was not quite right.

Those eyes still held some intelligence, but yet something was off about it.

…Emotions?

Yes, that must be it.

It was clearly sentient enough to still control such terrifying magic.

Able to move, able to attack.

But there were no emotions.

This… This thing before Hayama, was nothing more than a 'killing doll'.

Though it was smiling, it felt more like the doll's expression had frozen that way.

As Hayama stared, the lips of the 'doll' moved.

The silver magic circle behind the 'doll' exploded with bright light.

And even though the 'doll' was high up in the sky, Hayama could clearly hear its voice resound within his head.

"Ravaging Inferno."

A brilliant burst of white flames shot towards Hayama.

The heat of the flames could be felt even from where he was.

It was fast.

Startlingly fast.

Hayama couldn't dodge it.

He only managed to tilt his body sideways. The white flames made contact with the right side of his body, burning away his arm and leg in seconds. Blood flowed out in continuous streams from the dreadful wounds, dyeing the earth beneath him and choking Hayama with the heavy scent of iron. He didn't even have time to process that _he lost his limbs_ when the remaining heat of the white flames started to melt his skin.

His right eye _popped_ and it completely dissolved into a pool of white and red, spilling down his face, leaving behind a trail of burnt black skin.

It took several more seconds before Hayama realised just what had happened to him.

He _screamed._

The doll's eyes moved slightly, focusing on Hayama.

"Failed. Again. Kill."

Those short sentences pierced through the excruciating pain Hayama was experiencing, sending him into a crying, sobbing mess of pure terror.

No.

No, no, no.

He was going to die.

No.

He didn't…

No.

He didn't want to die.

Please… No.

"Some..one… Any..one… Plea..se…"

"Ravaging Inferno."

"H..elp… Me…"


	18. Chapter 18

"Mido-chin! Over there!"

"…What is that huge silver magic circle?" Midorima gaped.

"Midorimacchi! There! In the middle! That's Kurokocchi!"

"Well done spotting him, Kise."

"Kise-chin is quite good, I couldn't take my eyes off that ominous circle."

Kise grunted. He was thankful for the praise, but they were still quite far away from where the silver circle – and Kuroko – was. He couldn't relax.

"Stop!" Midorima suddenly shouted.

Murasakibara and Kise came to a screeching halt, just in time to watch the horrific strength of the magic the silver circle released.

The strongest, most powerful fire magic they had ever seen rushed out from it, obliterating trees in just seconds.

They fell into a tensed, petrified silence as the magic flame slowly disappeared.

And then there came a blood-curdling scream of pain.

They dashed to where it came from, stopping at the edge of a cliff and peering down.

Kise's stomach lurched, nearly throwing up when he was met with the source of the scream. Midorima had turned away so fast that his glasses became askew. His eyes were wide as he tightly clamped a hand over his mouth, forcing down the urge to vomit. Murasakibara's face was deathly pale, and he even staggered back.

There, before them, was a body that was melting away, with the right half of it gone.

And the cause of this was Kuroko.

Midorima breathed out roughly, regaining himself. He cursed under his breath, sending large amounts of freezing magic to stop the body from melting down.

And then a terrible shiver ran down their spines as a voice they recognised echoed in their minds. However, that familiar voice was now flat and empty, bearing an emotionless quality.

"Failed. Again. Kill."

Kise cried out, "Stop! You can't, Kurokocchi!"

He dashed out from where he was, attempting to reach Kuroko.

Murasakibara was barely able to grab onto him in time.

"You can't go, Kise-chin!"

"Let go of me! I have to help Kurokocchi!"

"He's not normal!"

" _I know that!_ He needs to be stopped before he kills that man!"

Midorima came forward and harshly slapped Kise.

"Wha –! Midorimacchi! Why –"

"Get a hold of yourself! If you go out there, you will die along with that man!"

Midorima turned away after saying that, already chanting an incantation.

Murasakibara did not let go of Kise as he too, began an incantation.

Kise fell silent.

He knew that they were trying to do something, and he wasn't going to interrupt them in the middle of their chants.

The fallen man was enveloped in green light, and was slowly lifted off the ground.

Murasakibara's barrier covered the entire area around the man and where the three of them were.

The man was whisked away by Midorima's magic right before the white flame was shot another time. Murasakibara's barrier was almost completely useless against it, managing to stay for just one second before shattering into pieces like it was never there.

But still, with that one extra second, they managed to save the man.

Midorima set the man down carefully next to him, inspecting his condition. The man had fainted. For now, the man's burns have stopped progressing, even the blood flowing from the wounds had ceased. Midorima's magic won't last infinitely, but it should hold until they manage to get the man to safety and treat those injuries.

Relieved, Midorima collapsed, clearly exhausted.

Murasakibara sighed, releasing his grip on Kise.

Kise gazed down at where Midorima was.

"Midorimacchi…"

"What is it, Kise?"

"I'm sorry. You were right to stop me, Midorimacchi. After seeing that magic for a second time, I don't even have a single ounce of confidence that we can win against Kurokocchi. Murasakibaracchi's barrier barely lasted for one second against him! What are we going to do now? How can we stop Kurokocchi?"

Both Midorima and Murasakibara frowned.

Murasakibara grudgingly said, "That was my strongest barrier magic. I had even used it against the emperor before, and it was effective. I was confident. But during that attack, my strongest barrier shattered in just one second."

"Against him, it was like my power has been reduced to that of a child's. …I don't like it." Murasakibara grumbled.

Midorima sighed, dusting himself off as he stood up.

"Kuroko is strong after all. But I do not know if this is the extent of it. He seems to have been consumed by his own power, so there is a chance that he may not be showing everything he has. But there is one thing for certain. That is, if we go out there and face him right now, it's a guarantee that we will all die."

Midorima fell silent then, glaring at the ground in frustration.

Murasakibara grunted, not saying anything more as he too, glared fiercely at the ground.

Kise raised his head to look at Kuroko.

Kuroko had remained quiet and still since earlier, just like a frozen doll.

"Kurokocchi… I don't want to see you like this. But I don't have the strength to save you." Kise whispered through gritted teeth. He squeezed his eyes shut, lowering his head.

The remaining trees rustled softly, and Kise's hair fluttered in the mockingly gentle wind.

"I really am no good, aren't I, Kurokocchi? …I can't even help you." Kise slowly raised his head, watching Kuroko with hopeless eyes.

And then, in the distance behind Kuroko, Kise saw something moving.

Whatever it was, it steadily and quickly approached. Kise had never seen anything like it. It was growing larger by the second!

Two blinks later, and the creature landed before Kuroko and his silver magic circle.

A black dragon.

Kise gaped at the dragon.

He knew that black dragons were stronger than white dragons, but he never knew that their sizes also bore such great differences! The black dragon before them was at least twice the size of a palace white dragon! And judging from the eyes of the black dragon, it seemed to be a matured one.

The dragon lifted its massive head, and roared at Kuroko.

The dragon's roar shook the earth, but it strangely didn't feel dangerous.

"A black dragon? Why…?" Murasakibara blinked, staring at the dragon in shock.

"A black dragon… Could this dragon be the one Kuroko talked about? The one he lived with?" Midorima analysed. "Did it come according to Kuroko's orders?"

Midorima frowned. "If that's so, then that's not good."

"But Mido-chin…" Murasakibara's wide eyes kept drifting between Kuroko and the dragon, "It does not look like that."

Kise shifted his gaze away from the dragon, narrowing his eyes as he focused hard on Kuroko.

"Kurokocchi… Kurokocchi is frowning! Though it's only his eyebrows, but still! He's displaying emotions!"

The black dragon roared again, and countless magic circles floated around it.

They were a strange mix of black and blue, like the colour of the night skies. And those colours even seemed to be _alive._ They glowed with the softest light, tranquil and soothing.

It was something the three of them never expected to see. After all, black dragons are nefarious creatures. It would be easier to believe that white dragons were the ones who held such gentle magic.

"This dragon… It's different." Midorima lowly said, surprised. "Its size is also surprising enough, but to think even its magic…"

Kise turned to Midorima.

"Size? This is not a normal size?" He asked.

"Of course not!" Midorima shook his head. "You've never seen a black dragon before, right? Since you've only ever heard about them in books, it's obvious why you wouldn't know. They are usually only a little bigger than a white dragon. However, this black dragon is massive. …Why? Is there a meaning to it?"

Midorima hummed thoughtfully then firmly nodded his head as he came to a conclusion. "…Yes, there has to be a reason."

The silver magic circle suddenly released another attack, but magic came forth from the dragon's own magic circles and easily subdued it.

And then it began attacking the silver circle.

Countless white flames burst out from it in retaliation, all stopped by the dragon.

Every time their attacks collided, the ground would shake violently and the skies flashed with the brilliant colours of their magic.

"This is… Are they _fighting?_ The black dragon is fighting against Kurokocchi?" Kise was left flabbergasted.

Midorima slowly nodded his head, seeming to be equally shocked.

"The attacks from the dragon are not centred on Kuroko… It's targeting that large magic circle behind him. It wants to destroy the circle instead of killing the manipulator? Is the dragon trying to return Kuroko back to normal?" Midorima spoke his thoughts out loud.

"Mido-chin, does that really work?"

"I do not know. But it's a matured black dragon. Perhaps it may know more than us."

"Midorimacchi, this must be the dragon Kurokocchi raised, right? If not, why would a random black dragon be willing to go so far? It's even avoiding hurting Kurokocchi!"

Midorima hummed.

"It seems to be so."

The dragon suddenly spread its wings and took off to the sky, where it was at the same level as Kuroko.

The dragon's magic continuously stopped Kuroko's attacks as a golden-black magic sigil began to take form just above the dragon's head.

It bore ancient words that they couldn't read, and an intense, devastatingly powerful aura came from it.

"Wha – What is that!" Kise gasped, using his hands to stabilize himself.

Murasakibara, Midorima and Kise had all fallen to their knees when the golden sigil appeared.

"I can't read it, but I remember seeing it in a book before." Midorima rasped, fighting against the heavy, suffocating pressure that came from the sigil. He continued, "It's a contract. This is the sigil of the contract between a dragon and its Master."

"Huuuh. Why would the black dragon form a contract now? Don't tell me it's a stupid black dragon, Mido-chin?" Murasakibara was frowning hard, clearly unhappy with being brought to his knees. It looked like he was having some difficulty breathing too.

Midorima shook his head. "No, the contract has already been formed. That is a special magic circle used to connect the Dragon and Master. It goes beyond physical bodies, it is tied to their very souls."

Midorima paused, and then slowly continued, "Since it couldn't reach Kuroko from the outside, could the dragon be drawing upon their contract to awaken Kuroko from this insanity?"

"Uwah, are you serious?" Kise stared at Midorima, slack-jawed. "Dragons are so amazing!"

The golden sigil glowed brightly and started to spin.

Golden chains suddenly shot out from it and pierced through Kuroko's body, restraining all his limbs at the same time.

The black dragon was not spared as well.

Golden shackles snapped into place on the dragon's neck, feet, and tail. The chains that coiled tightly around the dragon's body actually tore through some of its scales. Little drops of blood fell to the ground from where the dragon was, high up in the sky.

Kuroko struggled to move, firing spells at the golden chains in an attempt to break them. He didn't even seemed to care that he was in the way of his own spells, thus severely injuring himself.

Both Kuroko and the dragon were quickly becoming a bloodied mess, especially with how Kuroko was mindlessly attacking himself.

The chains on Kuroko's end started to turn black, and it began crawling up, trying to mutate the beautiful golden colour into that sinister black. But the dragon growled, baring those terribly sharp rows of fangs. It looked frighteningly menacing as its eyes narrowed. Whatever Kuroko was doing, the dragon clearly did not allow it, fighting against it.

It was as though they were watching a battle of wills between a Dragon and its Master.

The dragon flapped its huge wings, letting out a thunderous cry.

The golden colour of the chains burst forth, enveloping and erasing the mutated black chains all the way to Kuroko's end.

Kuroko thrashed around violently. He didn't looked as though he was in pain, but rather, he seem to be more intent on freeing himself.

It was a sight that left Kise staring blankly at Kuroko while his mind raced. From where he was, those chains piercing into Kuroko and all those severe wounds looked to be extremely painful but yet, Kuroko seemed completely oblivious to it. Could it be that Kuroko somehow couldn't feel any pain while he was in that state?

The dragon flapped those massive wings once more and tossed its head, releasing a deafening roar.

Midorima, Kise and Murasakibara clutched their head, groaning in pain as a deep, strong resounding voice invaded their minds. It held so much power that it _hurt_ ; the voice was too powerful, too painful for them to bear. It felt like their minds were being ripped apart.

One by one, they slowly fell unconscious.

"I call upon the ancient contract binding our souls, to grant me thy power. I am one who bears the name of a beast, the one who holds this contract as a servant to my Master. By the power of thy ancient magic, I now forcibly take command of my Master's soul."

"Awaken, Kuroko Tetsuya."

The golden sigil flashed, drowning the world in pure, soothing light.

* * *

 **T.B.C**

* * *

 **A/N:** The rebel leader's identity will be revealed next chapter. (:


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N:**

 **To Snow:** Yes, all the Generation of Miracles will appear eventually, so don't worry! (:

 **To Sleeping Violets:** This is really late but I hope you had an enjoyable birthday! And it's alright to be greedy, it makes me strive to write more for all my readers~ :D

* * *

Kuroko groaned, blinking his heavy eyes open.

It took a while before he could see through his blurry vision.

He stared at the ceiling blankly, slowly moving his eyes to look around. He was on a bed; the room he was in was small and bare. It was so small that just the bed alone took up three quarters of the room. Near the door, there were two chairs. A candle was placed onto a chair, the soft orange glow being the only source of light in the completely dark room.

He shifted, struggling to sit up.

His body was weighed down by weariness and his head throbbed with every movement he made.

The sharp sound of metal clinking had Kuroko glancing down at his hands. Both his wrists were secured by thin but wide metal cuffs. They were pure black and there seemed to be some kind of design too, though it was hard to see clearly in the dim light from the single candle. But even so, the cuffs looked more like an accessory than something used to restrain.

There was an individual chain connected to each cuff, with the other end chained to the bed posts. The chains appeared short, but Kuroko lightly tugged on it and the length increased. A magically enchanted item. There was enough length in the chains that Kuroko was able to move freely, but he suspected that it wasn't long enough to reach the door.

However, what caught his attention the most was the carefully placed magic circles in the middle of both cuffs.

He couldn't see it clearly, but even without the visual, he could _feel_ it.

From it came a magic force so strong that even Kuroko felt uneasy. Rather than wanting to fight against it, a very, very strange sensation of _avoidance_ kept pressing down on Kuroko.

Without warning, the candle flame suddenly blazed fiercely, lighting up the room in a brilliant orange hue.

And then the door slowly creaked open.

Kuroko's head snapped up, the movement sending a jolt of pain through him.

"You are awake now?" The shadowed figure at the door said.

Kuroko did not reply.

The figure moved into the room, leaving the door ajar to allow light in.

"…Midorima-kun?" Kuroko blinked.

Midorima grunted.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, stopping beside the bed.

"I feel tired." Kuroko answered simply.

"Are you in any pain?"

"…My head does ache a little."

Midorima laid his hand on Kuroko's forehead.

Kuroko let out a soft sigh as the exhaustion and his headache disappeared.

"You seem fine. Are you able to get up and walk? Or would you rather rest more?"

"I am fine now. Thank you, Midorima-kun. But… Where am I? I… What happened?"

Midorima casted a quick glance at the door before speaking.

"This is our base."

"Base? This is the base of the rebel group?"

"Yes."

"Why am I here? Did something happen?"

Midorima gazed thoughtfully at Kuroko. "Do you not remember anything at all? …No, nevermind. We'll talk about that later. Don't worry, you will get your answers soon."

Kuroko paused, blinking once, and then slowly gave his agreement. "Okay, I understand."

"If you're feeling well enough, I will bring you to our leader. He wishes to meet with you." Midorima said.

Kuroko nodded.

Midorima reached down, removing the chains that bound Kuroko to the bed.

"I can only remove these chains. As for the cuffs, only our leader can remove them. Those magic circles are his seals." Midorima explained as he helped Kuroko up.

Kuroko stood up, swaying on his feet.

His head went light for a moment.

He stumbled, and Midorima was quick in supporting him.

"…How long have I been asleep?" He asked, regaining his balance.

"Almost a week." Midorima replied.

And then Kuroko's stomach rumbled.

"…The food has already been prepared, so feel free to eat while you meet with our leader." Midorima informed.

"But isn't that… rude?"

Midorima shook his head.

"Our leader is not like the emperor who prides respect over the health of his subordinates. If you don't eat while you are clearly hungry, our leader may even decide to force food down your throat."

"…"

Kuroko blinked, unsure on how to react to that.

Eventually, he gave up. "…I will eat."

Midorima just grunted, though Kuroko thought he saw a little smile on Midorima's face as he adjusted his glasses.

* * *

Kuroko carefully cut up the fish in front of him, taking small bites of food.

Midorima and Kise had both joined him at the table, eating their own meals.

Their leader had yet to arrive.

It seems like some problems came up right before Kuroko left his room, so the leader had gone to settle them. Midorima had said that it was their leader who had sent him to Kuroko, accurately foretelling the moment he had woken up. Kuroko was relieved though, he didn't have to worry about being in the presence of such a person while he ate.

He already knew, from the power he could feel coming from the cuffs around his wrists, that the leader of the rebel group was not a weak person. For the first time in his life, Kuroko actually wanted to avoid a strong opponent rather than fight!

He was uneasy, extremely uneasy, about meeting the leader.

His mind swirled with these thoughts as he ate.

"Kurokocchi, here. You should eat more, though it's good that you're eating slowly. For almost a week, you've only had watery porridge and sugared water. So, don't hold back and eat all you want, okay?" Kise beamed at Kuroko.

Kuroko observed Kise, who was overly happy at seeing him awake.

He gave Kise a slow nod.

"The menu has been carefully chosen to be light enough for you to eat without trouble. Under our leader's orders, of course. So at the very most, please clear your plate of all the food on it." Midorima said, giving Kuroko a look that dared him to argue back.

"…"

Kuroko silently nodded once more.

Minutes passed, and Kuroko finally managed to finish his food. Midorima and Kise had both been considerate enough to not pile his plate with food like they did to their own, so Kuroko had finished faster than them.

Just as he placed his glass of water down, the soft click of the door opening had him tensing up.

A dwarf entered the room, quickly moving to place a tray of food at the head of the table. The dwarf disappeared as fast as it came, leaving Kuroko to stare after it.

The sound of light footsteps had him raising his eyes, and his gaze was met with a swiftly-moving head of red hair.

Murasakibara followed right after, seating himself at the right side, next to the man who had taken the place at the head of the table. He then started to quickly pile food onto his plate.

Unlike the way Kuroko and the man (who Kuroko assumed was the leader) had their own tray of food, the rest of the food was laid out on the table in large plates. Even the way they were seated was a little strange too. When Midorima had guided Kuroko into the dining room, Kise was already there. He had then (almost forcefully) made Kuroko sit at the other end of the table. In other words, directly opposite the head of the table.

A slight movement at the corner of his eyes had Kuroko immediately shifting his gaze away from Murasakibara and straight into a pair of red eyes.

Those red eyes were watching him, and the corners of the man's lips lifted into an amused smile.

"You are Kuroko Tetsuya?" The man asked.

Kuroko nodded, "Yes." He wasn't surprised that the man knew of him. After all, he was the leader of the group Midorima, Kise and Murasakibara were in. It's only natural that they would tell their leader. He was just slightly curious about how much the leader knew.

"I am Akashi Seijuurou, leader of the rebel group." The man introduced himself, that little amused smile never leaving his face.

"How are you feeling? I see that you have eaten well." Akashi said.

"I am fine now. I'm grateful for the consideration you have taken for me." Kuroko made the effort to be as polite as possible, he didn't know how the personality of the leader was like after all.

"It's not a problem. It's good that you are well." Akashi then looked away from Kuroko, and started his meal.

Kuroko patiently waited as the man ate, taking this time to observe.

Those three – Murasakibara, Kise and Midorima – had all fallen into a strange silence once the man started speaking to Kuroko. It was a silence of respect, but at the same time, there was something else to it that Kuroko could not quite place. It wasn't quite fear, but…

Kuroko frowned a little.

It was as if they would obediently listen to whatever the man ordered them to do. There seemed to be a silent acquiescence between them, as though they just knew that going against this man would result in bad consequences. Midorima had said that the man cared about his subordinates enough to force-feed them, so he shouldn't be an evil leader, right?

Kuroko blinked at Akashi.

Though Akashi seemed to be ignoring him, Kuroko could tell that he was being watched.

Akashi was a strange man. He looked to be about the same height as Kuroko, though a bit taller. Kuroko was quite shocked when he first saw Akashi, with how he seemed to bear some eerily similar appearances as Kuroko.

He wondered what Akashi's reaction was when he had met Kuroko for the first time.

It was a pity that Kuroko was not conscious then, for he would have preferred a better first impression than being presented to this man while in a state of unconsciousness.

Kuroko reached for his glass of water, slowly sipping at it.

Once Akashi had eaten about half the food on his plate, he glanced at Kuroko and said, "It looks like you have questions, Kuroko Tetsuya."

Kuroko nodded, "But it's alright. I do not mind waiting until you have finished your food."

"No," Akashi shook his head, "I have already made you wait long enough. Tell me, Kuroko Tetsuya, what is it that you want to know?"

"Then, there's one thing I must ask you." Kuroko paused. Taking a deep breath, he asked, "How much do you know about me?"

Akashi raised an eyebrow, and smiled.

"I know enough. Everything you have spoken to my group members about, I know as well."

Kuroko hummed softly.

Then that makes it easier for him. He wouldn't have to explain about himself a second time. Now, for the more pressing questions…

"Akashi-san, I –"

"It's fine, you can drop the formalities." Akashi interrupted.

Kuroko blinked, and started again, "Akashi-kun, I want to know about the happenings that brought me here."

"How much do you remember?"

Kuroko tilted his head, trying to recall.

"The last thing I remembered is breaking my barrier, and then conversing with a man who said he was the emperor's aide. …No, that's not quite right. I did have a little conversation with the emperor too. And halfway through our fight, I must have blanked out. I do not recall anything else."

"A barrier? Why did you form one?" Akashi asked.

"Actually, two of the emperor's aides came to 'get' me. It seems that the emperor has gained an interest in me. The first one was Hanamiya Makoto, and I sealed us into a barrier to prevent our fight from destroying the forest. After that, when I felt someone meddling with my barrier, I broke it to confront them."

Kuroko blinked.

Ah.

He glanced around the dining room, seeking out the windows to look outside.

Hanamiya Makoto. He remembered throwing him to the side, and that he wanted to hand him over to the black dragon…

"What are you searching for?" Akashi spoke up as he watched Kuroko.

"Hanamiya Makoto, I had plans for him…" Kuroko murmured.

"If that's the man you're searching for, then I do know of him. However, I must first ask you… What do you plan to do with him?"

"I wanted to break the hypnosis on him using my dragon… And perhaps hand him over to your group if he was useful enough." Kuroko admitted.

Akashi simply looked into Kuroko's eyes for a long time.

And then, he finally nodded his head. He said, "He's here. We have kept him in one of our dungeons."

"Is he alright?" Kuroko quickly asked, even rising from his seat.

"He is fine. We have not made any move to remove his hypnosis either. Right now, he's bound and blindfolded. But before that, I think you have something much more important to handle first."

"…I do?"

"Yes, you do. Why don't you head towards a window and look down below?"

Kuroko did as told, approaching a window.

As he looked down, the first thing that he saw was pure black. He blinked multiple times, trying to understand what was it he was supposed to look at.

The black thing moved then, and a golden eye stared back at Kuroko.

That was all it took before Kuroko was yanking the window open, with just enough space for him to jump out of. It didn't matter that he was on the second floor, something of this height was nothing.

Kuroko jumped, landing without trouble.

A familiar growl filled his ears, and Kuroko gently laid his hand on the beautiful, embedded jewels in front of him.

 _Are you alright, Master?_

Kuroko blinked, tilted his head.

"Yes, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

The dragon brought his head down, and Kuroko took the hint to jump off the dragon's massive head. The dragon stared at him, scrutinising him for something Kuroko didn't understand.

The dragon licked Kuroko, and a happy growl came from him.

 _It's good that you're alright._

"Something must have happened, right? Something that I'm not aware of. Did something happen to me? Did I do something terribly bad?" Kuroko released an onslaught of questions at the dragon, desperately seeking out answers.

… _I will not lie to you._

 _Yes, you have done something terribly wrong._

 _You were consumed by your own powers. I know about the blood in you, that you hold the blood of unicorns. I can sense it in you. You may have been immersed in their blood for a long time, and your body has mostly changed to adapt to it. However, you are still a being that was originally human._

 _That is why you struggle with fully accepting the blood. There are no Dark Creatures who have ever struggled like you have, because their bodies made to withstand that blood_.

Kuroko leaned back against the dragon's leg, where he was carefully supported.

"How did you know about my past?"

 _Because I can see. Before, when I was still immature, I was not able to see very far. All I could sense were drifting emotions. But now, I can see more. When I met you once again, everything flowed into me. I saw how you lived. From when you were born a thousand years ago to the history of the enslaved white dragons._

"I see. I… Please tell me, what did I do while I was in that state?" Kuroko pleaded.

 _You didn't quite lose your mind, because you still retained some intelligence. But still, you were in a state where it would not be wrong to call it insanity. Your powers thirsts for endless bloodshed, it's a cruel power. When you lost the battle against the blood's killing desire, you casted a terrible spell._

 _You broke the earth, destroyed the forest and homes of others, and even attempted to wake the volcanoes. The spell you casted was not one of dragons, but something similar to the magic the unicorns used. It was by pure instinct of the unicorn's blood in you than actual knowledge, for I have never taught you any magic like that and neither have you learnt them._

The dragon blinked at Kuroko, gently nuzzling him.

 _But by luck, or perhaps it was fate, you did not kill anyone._

 _Those with upturned houses had somehow managed to survive. The man you attempted to kill, was saved as well. However, I cannot guarantee that his mind is safe. Fear and pain are the most dominating emotions, and you delivered them onto that man. The man has been asleep since then…_

… _You may have broken his mind._

Kuroko froze, staring at the dragon with wide eyes.

"I… I did?" In a quivering voice, he asked, "I did that to him? I… I destroyed a person?"

Kuroko's hands shook as he lifted them to his face, sliding trembling fingers into his hair. He clutched tightly at his hair, his breathing coming in hard and irregular. Blood rushed to his numbing head, and he swayed on his feet.

The dragon's eyes narrowed. He shoved his head into Kuroko's chest with enough force to topple him over.

Kuroko fell back onto the ground, blinking up at the dragon in shock.

 _Calm down._

 _You can only know for sure once you see him for yourself. And if it's proven so, do not run away. Face it even when it's hard, when you feel like you can no longer go on. If you run away now, you will never be able to grow stronger. And though you may believe otherwise, there are people who are willing to help you._

 _Why don't you take a look around?_

Kuroko whipped around, surveying the lands around him.

There was no cracks in the ground, and the trees rustled gently in the wind.

"…There's nothing that showed that such a disaster has occurred. Everything looks the same…" Kuroko murmured.

 _It was personally fixed by that man, Akashi Seijuurou. He even handled the safety of the humans, sparing them from the disaster. As for that despicable human emperor… He was too preoccupied with his glorious palace. Though he did save those that he needed, he chose to abandon the villages that were not near the palace grounds._

"Akashi Seijuurou… Just what is that man? To think he would have that much power..." Kuroko tilted his head down, staring at the cuffs around his wrists.

In the bright light of the day, he could see the red designs on the black cuffs clearly. They looked like exotic runes, some even glowing with a reddish light. They were carefully arranged in such a way that they drew attention to the complex magic seals placed in the middle.

The dragon growled softly, and Kuroko tore his gaze away from the cuffs.

 _You will have to ask him yourself. I cannot reveal such information without his permission._

"You… Are you afraid of him?"

 _No, I am not. I simply respect what he is._

"…I understand."

Kuroko raised his head, staring at the second floor.

 _Master._

Kuroko turned back to the dragon, "What is it?"

 _From this moment on, you are in a very dangerous situation. The emperor has now gained too much interest in you. You must be prepared for what will be a very difficult road ahead. As you meet more people, as you fight more, your battles will include fighting against yourself._

 _In the future, you'll have countless mental and physical battles to win._

Kuroko averted his eyes, gazing at the dragon's black scales instead of those knowing eyes.

 _Right now, we are within Akashi Seijuurou's barrier, so you are still safe. Take this time, however short it may be, to prepare yourself._

Kuroko closed his eyes, and slowly nodded.

He stood up, resting his head against the dragon's, taking comfort in this familiar gesture.

Moments passed, and Kuroko moved away from the dragon. Just enough so that he could reach up and gently scratched above the dragon's eye ridge. The dragon growled happily, tail twitching as he slowly lowered his head to lay it on his foreleg once more.

He blinked gently, affectionately, at Kuroko.

 _Go, Master. You should go back to them. You must have more questions that you want answers to. I will still be here, so go and seek all that you want to know._

Kuroko laid a soft kiss on the dragon's head, right at where the mark of the jewels rest.

"Okay."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **To eanniemae:** Hooray! You got the identity of the rebel leader right! :D


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N:**

 **To Gly:** Aww, thank you! The black dragon is (very, very loosely) based off Toothless. So there might be some similarities now and then~ (:

 **To Guest:** Thank you for your support! Unfortunately, regarding your question on whether the Emperor is a KNB character or an OC, I cannot answer that. If I answer that right now, this whole story will fall apart. So please understand. Hints of the Emperor's identity will be slowly revealed throughout the story.

* * *

As Kuroko made his way back up to the second floor, Murasakibara was waiting for him at the top of the stairs.

"Murasakibara-kun." Kuroko greeted.

"Hn. Aka-chin says to bring you to his room." Murasakibara said, blinking lazily at Kuroko. "Let's go."

"Ah, yes. Where is his –" Kuroko's words were cut off as Murasakibara lifted him up with ease.

"Wha –! Murasakibara-kun! Please put me down. I can walk –"

"No. Aka-chin says to bring you immediately."

Kuroko fell silent, deciding not to argue after he saw Murasakibara's uncharacteristically serious expression.

They approached a room at the end of the hallway, and Murasakibara placed Kuroko down right outside the door.

"Aka-chin?" Murasakibara called out as he lightly knocked.

"Come in."

Murasakibara opened the door, and gestured for Kuroko to enter first.

Kuroko cautiously stepped into the room.

The room was large, and it looked just like a study room. The walls were lined with bookshelves, and the afternoon sunlight coming in from the large windows brightened up the room. There was another door was near the bookshelves, most likely leading into Akashi's bedroom.

Comfortable couches were placed at the right side of the room, arranged around a magically enchanted fireplace with a glass table in the middle. The fire was blue, filling the room with cool air to counter the heat of the afternoon sun. The floor around that area was covered with a thick, plush carpet.

Akashi Seijuurou was sitting at a desk that was placed in front of a window, facing the main door. Even though he was only sitting casually, Akashi's figure was so imposing that Kuroko faltered for a moment.

"Kuroko Tetsuya." Akashi greeted him. "Have you settled everything there is with that dragon?"

Kuroko nodded his head, "Yes."

Akashi stood up, making his way to a recliner at the side of the room.

"That's good. It was interesting indeed, for it has been a long time since I've ever seen a contracted black dragon. Come have a seat. There are many things we have to talk about." Akashi lightly motioned for Kuroko to take a seat.

Kuroko did, seating himself opposite Akashi.

Murasakibara softly closed the door as he left, leaving only Kuroko and Akashi together.

Akashi smiled at Kuroko; more of a business smile than an actual one of joy.

"First, I have to apologise for showing you such bad manners. You must have been greatly surprised when you woke up in a room similar to that of a prison cell, right?"

Kuroko nodded.

"In truth, it is a special room we use for those we have captured from the emperor. It is a room created with magic at its core, so whatever happened in there would not affect those outside. I shifted it from its original location in the dungeons to the second floor of our base, and placed you there because you were dangerous while unconscious."

"Dangerous? Did I do something?"

"You constantly released strong spells, attacking whoever came near you. Not only that, but you did not care if you were injured in the process. You would have ended up killed by your own magic. It's one of the reasons for why I decided to place that," Akashi gestured to the cuffs on Kuroko's wrists, "on you. They carry my seals, so your magic was subdued by mine."

Kuroko blinked, staring at the cuffs.

"My apologies, Kuroko Tetsuya, for treating you like a criminal. However, I won't be removing those. Not until I can guarantee that you will not harm anyone. And don't think about running away; the moment you take a step out of my barrier, those magic seals on the cuffs will activate and throw you back in."

Kuroko frowned.

He began to look at the cuffs in a new light. They weren't just fancy accessories. Truly, the cuffs were something made for criminals indeed, no matter how beautiful it appeared to be.

"Hayama Kotarou, the second aide sent by the emperor, do you remember him?" Akashi asked.

"…Yes." Kuroko answered, lifting his gaze to meet Akashi's eyes.

"He is the man you nearly killed when you were in a state of insanity. Midorima and Murasakibara managed to save him in time, though he has already permanently lost the right side of his body."

"…Is he alright?" Kuroko asked softly.

"I do not know for sure. His condition is stable, but he has yet to wake. His mental state may have been badly affected due to that attack." Akashi tilted his head slightly, "Perhaps you may like to pay him a visit later."

Kuroko quietly agreed.

Akashi then said, "Now though, I shall tell you everything that happened before you came to. Will you listen?"

Kuroko quickly nodded his head. "Yes, please."

"That dragon out there, your dragon, was the one to stop your madness. According to Midorima, when the dragon was unsuccessful in drawing you out with physical attacks, he had chosen to wake you up using the contract that binds your souls together."

"He… He did?" Kuroko gasped.

"Yes," Akashi nodded. "However, the spell's power was so great that Midorima, Kise and Murasakibara were forced into unconsciousness."

"Please wait. Why were they there? Why did they even come near me when I was in a state of madness?" Kuroko asked.

Akashi hummed.

"Because I sent them. I wanted them to try to stop you. Of course, I did not expect you to be so strong that you rendered all of them completely helpless."

Kuroko stared at Akashi, wide-eyed.

"Still, they did managed to save you from killing a man."

Akashi raised an eyebrow at Kuroko, and then continued, "When they woke up, they found the black dragon coiled around you, as though to protect you as he treated your wounds. You had lost consciousness, but every now and then you would move, releasing strong spells. The dragon was unaffected by it due to his scales, but it was very dangerous for everyone else.

"So after Midorima talked with the dragon, the dragon agreed to help them bring you over to us. Which is why your dragon is here, within my barrier."

Kuroko blinked, lowering his head.

Silence descended in the room, the tension in the air was heavy and suffocating.

Akashi never once took his eyes off Kuroko.

"…I'm sorry." Kuroko whispered. "I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused."

Akashi hummed.

"So you know about the disaster you caused?"

Kuroko nodded. "My dragon, he told me."

"Akashi-kun," Kuroko raised his head, looking into Akashi's eyes, "I have heard that you restored everything back to its original state. Please accept my gratitude." Kuroko stood up, bowing towards Akashi.

"It's alright. I did not do it just for you, I had my own reasons too." Akashi simply said.

Kuroko straightened up, blinking at Akashi.

Akashi was staring at Kuroko, seeming to be contemplating something.

He shifted then, leaning back against the recliner. He settled his elbows on the armrests, and steepled his fingers together.

Kuroko flinched. Somehow, though Kuroko was currently standing, he felt really small under Akashi's gaze.

"You know, I've been wondering," Akashi started to speak, "You had a dragon go against you, and you did not fall the instant you were met with a black dragon's powerful magic. An ordinary mage would have lost against a single attack of a dragon, but you stood there, actually fighting against one."

Akashi smiled with the slightest tilt of his head.

"I've heard that you carry the blood of a Dark Creature. But that can't be all, right? There must be something else that made you this strong, because I can vaguely sense a strange power from you."

Akashi blinked slowly.

"Kuroko Tetsuya, what are you?"

Kuroko's knees gave out, and he fell back hard onto the couch.

Akashi was staring at him, but something was odd. A pair of strangely dangerous, heterochromatic eyes replaced the calm red ones before.

Red and yellow.

Kuroko was pinned under the heavy gaze of those eyes, unable to even look away.

"…I… I'm not hiding anything bad…" Kuroko's mouth moved on its own, his voice coming out strained. "It's the truth that I carry the Dark Creature's blood."

"Yes, but there are no Dark Creatures now that are capable of giving you so much power." Akashi returned Kuroko's words with a slight frown.

"Unicorns…" Kuroko mumbled.

"Unicorns?" Akashi repeated.

And then Kuroko spilled everything about himself to this man before him. It was Akashi, but at the same time, it wasn't. It was as though he was talking to someone else.

As Kuroko talked, a part of him observed Akashi.

He would frown at certain parts, raising his eyebrows at others, and eventually his face smoothed out into a neutral expression.

Kuroko's thoughts strayed.

His dragon had mentioned about how he respected the being Akashi was.

That a dragon would hold a person in such high regard…

Just who is Akashi?

* * *

x

* * *

"Midorimacchi, do you think Kurokocchi will be okay?"

"…He should be."

"Akashicchi isn't going to attack him or anything like that, right?"

"I do not believe so."

"But… Akashicchi… He had personally placed those cuffs on Kurokocchi. No matter how strong Kurokocchi is, he won't be able to break them. Because Akashicchi is… He is…"

"I know, Kise. As long as Kuroko does not try to do anything foolish, Akashi is not the type to recklessly fight."

"But even so… Don't you remember? When we first brought Kurokocchi to Akashicchi, Akashicchi's face was terrifying! I can tell, Midorimacchi! Back then, Akashicchi really wanted to kill Kurokocchi!"

"…I know. I know, Kise."

"Then..!"

"No, we cannot help him. What good can we do against Akashi? It would only lead to our deaths."

"But if Akashicchi chooses to kill Kurokocchi, I – "

"Kise!"

"…"

"Do not complete that sentence, Kise. Do not allow those emotions to take hold! Remember just who Akashi is, Kise. If he ultimately chooses to kill Kuroko, we can only accept the fate he deals."

"But I can't! I don't want Kurokocchi to die! If Akashicchi… If Akashicchi really does kill Kurokocchi, I don't –"

"Kise! Enough! No matter what, no matter who it is, Akashi is someone who you should never doubt nor hate!"

"…"

"…"

"…I'm sorry, Midorimacchi."

"Hmph… It's fine. Though it's true that Akashi wanted to kill Kuroko upon seeing him, but I also sensed a feeling of curiosity from him. Isn't that one of the reasons why he placed those cuffs on Kuroko?"

"…Mm."

"Be patient and wait, Kise. Nothing good comes from being reckless."

"…Okay."

* * *

 **A/N:** Lots of things will be explained in the next chapter, so look forward to that! (:


	21. Chapter 21

"Is that so?" Akashi softly murmured.

His eyes had returned to their normal red, and Kuroko's body finally relaxed.

"To think a unicorn would attempt something like that. And you are… over a thousand years old?" Akashi raised his eyebrows at Kuroko, his amusement was so clear that Kuroko felt mildly irritated.

Kuroko nodded. "But I have only lived for twenty-three years. I do not recall anything at all while I was asleep for those one thousand years."

"How interesting." Akashi smiled.

Akashi turned his head, looking out the window.

The afternoon sun was steadily fading, replaced with the light of early evening. The soft light casted half the room into shadows, filling the place with a strangely cold atmosphere.

"It's not quite dinner time yet, but you have been talking for a while, so you must be tired, right?" Akashi said, glancing at the door.

As though a silent command was issued, a soft knock came.

"Enter."

The door creaked open, and the same dwarf that Kuroko saw earlier appeared again, carrying a tray. The tray was gently set down onto the table, and Kuroko was served a cup of warm tea.

With a soft murmur of thanks, Kuroko accepted the tea.

The dwarf left without a word after setting another cup on the table, closing the door quietly.

Under the urging of Akashi's stare, Kuroko drank the offered tea. He doubted that Akashi would do something trivial like poisoning it. Kuroko did not know why, but he felt that Akashi was the type to pierce a sword straight through a person rather than kill them in a roundabout way.

Akashi seemed satisfied as he watched Kuroko drink without hesitation.

Kuroko lowered the cup, fiddling with it.

"…Akashi-kun."

"Yes?"

"May I ask a question?"

"Go ahead."

"Akashi-kun, what are you?"

Kuroko did not lift his gaze from the cup, staring at it in determination to _not_ look at Akashi.

He missed Akashi's little smirk and the way his eye colours changed momentarily.

"I suppose it is alright to tell you. You had been honest with me, so I shall do the same." Akashi said, reaching forward to pick up the other cup of tea.

He took a few sips from it, and when Kuroko did not hear anything else, he raised his head curiously.

Akashi met his eyes. He had been waiting for Kuroko to lift his head.

"You know of the history behind the Dark Creatures and the Dragons, but there is one thing that you still are not aware of." Akashi said.

"What is it?"

"You were raised by humans, so I assumed you have heard of strange beings who live on other's blood?"

"…Vampires? Like in the legends?"

Akashi smiled.

"I suppose you can say that I am related to those things, though it does not please me to admit that at all."

"You are a vampire, Akashi-kun?"

Akashi shook his head.

"No. Vampires are fallen beings who are descended from my people. My people are known to humans as 'Cleaners'."

"…Cleaners?"

"Yes, not a pleasant name. However, that is only what humans that know of us label us as. Humans are beings who do not know their place, and they hate it when there exists a being they can never win against. In any way possible, they try to bring them down. Therefore, among those humans, we are given such an unpleasant name. Have you ever heard of Cleaners, Kuroko?"

Kuroko blinked, slowly shaking his head.

Akashi smiled.

"Good. Then I would like to make a request of you to never remember that name. Instead, please remember the name that Dark Creatures and Dragons use for us. We are the 'Sleeping Gods'."

"Sleeping Gods? You are a God?" Kuroko gasped.

"No, we are not like Gods. What we do are different. We are beings that maintain the balance of the world. Most of the time, we are asleep. But when the world is in turmoil, we will awaken and be tasked with eliminating the things that are causing problems.

"Do you understand why humans refer to us as Cleaners rather than Gods? It's because we erase everything, be it Humans, Dark Creatures or Dragons. Things that are the source of disturbance, we will remove them all, no matter who it is."

"That's…" Kuroko flinched, shrinking back away from Akashi.

Akashi waved his hand at Kuroko, as though to brush his fears away.

"Relax, though you are also a key role in destroying this world's balance, your presence is not as potent as what the human emperor is planning to do. So I will not be killing you."

Kuroko did not relax though, warily watching Akashi.

Akashi did not seem to mind, continuing to explain, "There are not many of us, and we do not wake at the same time. Once someone is 'awakened', the rest will continue to remain in sleep, hidden away. When we sleep, our existence disappears from the world. We cannot be found no matter how hard one tries to search. That's why we are something of a myth.

"When we awaken, we appear randomly. Some would come into existence within the forests, others will appear right in the middle of a city. Of course, since this world is overflowing with magic, the people do not suspect anything. They only assumed that it's a magic trick."

Kuroko had finally settled down somewhat, but he was still slightly tensed. He finally understood why he wanted to run away when he first sensed the magic in the cuffs around his wrists. He may carry the blood of a strong Dark Creature, but how can a simple creature like that win against a being known as a God?

Even though the blood in him crave for power and fights, it's not so foolish as to challenge a person like Akashi.

And Kuroko had felt it instinctively.

Akashi chuckled suddenly.

"Kuroko, you say that you are over a thousand years old, but I too, am an old being. Us 'Sleeping Gods' are almost immortal. There is no one who can match our strength and power. However, as one burdened with such a heavy responsibility, we are given the choice to decide when to end our own lives. I would say that I am even older than the dragon within you."

Kuroko jolted in shock, hand flying to his chest.

It was only now that he realised that there was an unsettling silence within him. The white dragon would not always speak, but he could still distinctly feel her presence. Now, however, the white dragon's presence was faint.

"What happened? Why is she…?" Kuroko gasped softly, eyes wide with worry.

"Hm? What's wrong?" Akashi asked.

"The dragon's presence is faint… It has never happened before." Kuroko quickly explained.

"Oh? That's all? There's no need to worry so. She is simply in a deep sleep. Since she was within you when you went insane, she must have tried hard to stop you. Her strength is exhausted now, but she will be fine after a while."

Kuroko breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Akashi-kun, you knew? That a dragon was within me?"

Akashi nodded, "Of course."

"Did Midorima-kun or the rest tell you?" Kuroko asked.

Akashi chuckled.

"Even if they did not inform me, I would still be able to tell. Though she is weak now, her presence is something that is easy to pick up on."

"I see."

"And I also know that it is because of her that you did not cause as much damage as you could have."

Kuroko stared at Akashi. "What do you mean?"

"With a divine being like a dragon within you, it contradicted the unicorn's blood flowing in your veins. Therefore, the unicorn's powerful magic was suppressed to a certain extent. Without that dragon in you, you would have surely killed hundreds – both humans and Dark Creatures – in an instant with just the resonance of your magic."

"…Oh." Kuroko breathed.

His fingers tightened on the cup he was holding as he directed his gaze to the floor.

"But that did not happen, so you have no need to feel guilty. It is also one of the reasons why I chose not to kill you right away." Akashi said.

Kuroko closed his eyes momentarily. He blinked, and then slowly exhaled.

He raised the cup to his lips, drinking down the tea.

"Akashi-kun?"

"Yes, Kuroko?"

"What about the vampires you mentioned earlier? You said that you had some relations to them."

"That's true. Vampires are known as Fallen Beings. They were once part of us Sleeping Gods, but they became corrupted and so they fell. The vampires as told in human legends are accurate. Because of their fallen status, even their diet changes. They devour the blood of humans to sustain their lives."

"Then… You do not drink blood?"

"No, I don't. While 'Sleeping Gods' do enjoy eating actual food, it won't fill our hunger much. What we need for survival is essence, from any creature."

"What does that mean?"

"To put it simply, we eat souls. Whether it's Humans, Dark Creatures, or Dragons, we will eat anything. Of course, each of us are different and we all like different things. Some Sleeping Gods would only go for those who have committed crimes, or those that are strong. But there are also those who prefer the pure and naïve ones. It differs for every one of us."

"Do the creatures whom you have eaten from die?"

"Of course."

Kuroko blinked, shifting his gaze onto the teapot on the table to avoid those red eyes.

Akashi sipped at his tea.

"…I may be asking too many questions, but if it's alright, I would like you to answer one more." Kuroko softly said after a moment, turning his gaze back onto Akashi.

Akashi nodded.

"Why are you trying to fight against the emperor?"

Akashi's eyes narrowed slightly.

Kuroko did not avert his eyes this time.

Akashi's eyes flickered, and Kuroko thought he saw approval in those eyes.

But he couldn't be sure.

"Kuroko, why do you want to know? Do you wish to fight against the emperor?"

Kuroko froze.

He watched Akashi's eyes closely, at the calm yet sharp gaze patiently awaiting an answer.

…He would not be able to lie. Not to this man.

So Kuroko took a deep breath, and told Akashi of the promise between him and the white dragon.

Akashi listened quietly, never interrupting.

When Kuroko finally finished talking, Akashi spoke.

"I understand. Though your reasons are not the same, the result you want will still be the same as us."

Kuroko was taken aback.

"The same result?"

"Did you think you can stop the spell the dragons are tied to without erasing the emperor?"

"If possible, I would like to try."

But Akashi only shook his head.

"That will not happen. Kuroko, do you know that there are two emperors involved in this?" Akashi asked.

Kuroko's eyes widened.

"Two emperors? What do you mean?"

"There is the current emperor who the people see now, but there is also the First Emperor. The First Emperor is the human man who forcefully tied his own life to the dragons. Do you understand what that means?"

Kuroko blinked, and slowly uttered, "…The First Emperor is very first man to become the ruler of the humans?"

Akashi smiled in approval.

"Yes. And the current emperor on the throne is a descendant of the First Emperor. The First Emperor has thrown away his body, he is no longer here as a physical being. Only his 'life' and power remains behind. Because he can't rule like that, he needed a 'face' and a 'body' that the humans can see. In other words, the First Emperor is using the current emperor's body to rule."

"That's… Does that mean the current emperor is completely unaware of what is happening? That his ancestor is actually using him in such a way?" Kuroko questioned, astonished.

"I can't say for sure that he is completely oblivious, that man is quite the sly one after all. The current emperor did rule the humans independently for a time, until the First Emperor decided to take control of him."

Kuroko blinked, speechless.

"Do you understand why the method you want to use to free the dragons will not work? To break the spell that ties the dragons to the First Emperor, you need to destroy him. Which also means that you will be killing the emperor, Kuroko."

"…" Kuroko was silent for a moment before he finally said, "I have suspected as much but…" He sighed then, "If possible, I would not want to kill anyone."

Akashi hummed thoughtfully.

"Well, you can leave that to me." He said. "I was awakened to eliminate the First Emperor, after all."

Kuroko nodded, relieved.

"Does the First Emperor you speak of know about what you are, Akashi-kun?"

"I suppose so. From what I see, that First Emperor is simply refusing to believe in the existence of us Sleeping Gods. I have told you, haven't I? That humans only see us as myths and not actual beings. The First Emperor may have all the facts laid out before him, but he adamantly refuses to acknowledge them. However, the fear is always at the back of his mind, so the First Emperor is obsessed about becoming stronger by any means necessary."

Kuroko blinked. "Is that so?" He softly murmured.

He set his gaze on the cup in his hands, face devoid of emotions.

Akashi slowly raised the cup to his lips, sipping at the tea.

…Ah!

Kuroko suddenly remembered something. He lifted his head, staring at Akashi.

"Akashi-kun!"

"What is it?"

"Back then, when the First Emperor was creating the spell, and during the Great War between the Dark Creatures and Dragons, why didn't a Sleeping God awake to put an end to it?"

Akashi's face hardened.

He frowned, turning his head to stare out the window.

Kuroko tensed up.

Did he unknowingly asked something that shouldn't have been asked? …Was he going to be killed? Even if this Akashi didn't feel like killing him, but the _other Akashi_ might want to. The frightening man with the yellow eye.

Akashi did not move for long moments.

The room slowly turned dark.

As the room became pitch-black, a row of torches along the wall lit up. A soft glow lightened the creeping darkness. There was a soft crackle as the dying blue fire in the fireplace blazed brightly and slowly became orange. The temperature increased, and a soothing warmth filled the room.

Eventually, Akashi turned back to Kuroko.

He began to speak in a soft tone, "There are ranks even among us Sleeping Gods. The ones who fall and become vampires are those who are not ranked highly. That was why it did not matter even if they roam freely, because once fallen, their powers are mostly revoked. They become weak enough for a Dark Creature or Dragon to take on, but they are still stronger than humans.

"During the war, because it was a very dangerous situation, a highly ranked Sleeping God was awakened to take care of it. We do not know how it came about, but that Sleeping God became corrupted. Not only that, but the Sleeping God did not immediately fall to being a vampire. Because the Sleeping God did not fall, none of us noticed that the Sleeping God had become horribly corrupted.

"By the time we realised something was dreadfully wrong, it was too late. The Great War came and went, then the humans had their own war. And eventually, the balance of this world tilted into the humans' favour. It all went according to the corrupted Sleeping God plans; which is having humans be the ruling race of this world."

Akashi paused, staring into his teacup.

"Why did the Sleeping God want humans to rule?" Kuroko softly murmured the question.

"We do not know. Perhaps it was just on a whim." Akashi replied.

With a small voice, Kuroko dared to ask, "What happened to the Sleeping God after?"

"Killed. By other Sleeping Gods."

"…You had a fight as well?"

"How nice of you to put it that way. No, it's not a fight. It was a carnage. The fallen Sleeping God that somehow did not become a vampire was still incredibly strong. There were many, many deaths during the attempt to kill that corrupted Sleeping God."

"…Oh." Kuroko breathed.

Akashi continued, "Our war took place in a severed space, where it would not affect anything in this world. After all, our war is not like the Great War of Dark Creatures and Dragons. Because ours was too powerful, this world would have perished if we had fought here."

Kuroko fiddled with his empty cup.

"Your people have such strong powers? Enough to create a severed space rather than a temporary barrier?"

Akashi slowly shook his head.

"It was not a power by my people. It was by the Higher Calling; the creator of this world. We are also awakened by the Higher Calling. No one else can wake us."

"Then why didn't the creator stop the war instead of relying on the Sleeping Gods?"

"Because it is not possible. The Higher Calling is never allowed to intervene personally with whatever happens to this world."

Kuroko blinked.

"Oh."

Akashi stared at Kuroko for a while.

"…What is it, Akashi-kun?"

"Even though you are so clearly curious, you are not going to ask, are you? Then I shall just tell you."

"Eh?"

"The highly ranked Sleeping God who became corrupted, that person was my father."

Kuroko gasped.

"I – I didn't mean to make you tell me! I'm sorry, please forgive me." Kuroko quickly apologised, bowing his head.

"It's fine. I told you because I wanted to. I could have ignored that silent question you were screaming at me." Akashi lightly chuckled.

"Kuroko." Akashi called.

Kuroko lifted his head.

"Yes?"

"It's already quite late, so shall we go have dinner? We can continue this chat once dinner is over. It seems like Kise is turning into a mess, so it would be best for you to head out now."

"Kise-kun? A mess?"

"Yes. He's making a ruckus in his mind. The members in this group are all connected to me with a simple magic. Have you seen the jewellery they wear? While it allows them to easily carry their weapons everywhere, those are also what connects me to them. I can sense their emotions when the jewellery remains in contact with them."

"…" Kuroko did not know what to say. He had actually, for a moment, felt that Akashi's magic was similar to the ones the First Emperor used to control others.

"Are you afraid, Kuroko? Do not worry. Though I can sense their emotions, I do not control their minds."

Kuroko flinched.

"…I'm sorry for even suspecting such a thing." He whispered.

"It's alright. It's a natural reaction for anyone who has just learned about my true self. Even the rebel group members have reacted the same way as you. By the way, those cuffs on you also functions in a similar manner." Akashi smirked.

Kuroko jerked, bolting up from his seat.

He stared blankly down at his wrists.

Akashi slowly stood up, plucking the teacup out of Kuroko's slack hands. He placed both Kuroko's and his own cup onto the table and then moved towards the door.

"Come quickly, Kuroko. Kise's so worried about you that it's giving me a mild headache."

Kuroko blinked, jolted out of his thoughts. "Yes," he answered.

And then he quickly followed after Akashi.

* * *

x

* * *

"Kurokocchi!"

Kise came flying at Kuroko, enclosing him in a tight hug.

"Kise-kun, it hurts."

Kise only tightened his hold on Kuroko.

"Kurokocchi!"

Kuroko sighed softly.

Akashi had disappeared somewhere, and left Kuroko with precise instructions to head to the dining room.

"Kise-kun, I'm hungry. Shall we go eat?" Kuroko asked, lightly patting Kise's back.

Kise released Kuroko, beaming at him.

"Okay! I will guide you there! You must be confused about where everything is! I will show you around later, okay?"

"Thank you, Kise-kun."

Kise slung his arm around Kuroko's shoulder, pulling him along.

Upon reaching the dining room, Kuroko was directed into the same seat as before. He had a strange feeling of dread. Was this seat now his? …Having to seat directly opposite Akashi at every meal really did not sound too pleasant. And he probably would not be able to change seats at all.

Midorima and Murasakibara came into the room, and Kuroko saw how Midorima subtly let out a heavy breath when he saw Kuroko.

…Was Midorima worried as well?

Seeing as how Kuroko was with Akashi of all people, there was a chance that he might have been killed while alone with him.

Kuroko nodded towards Midorima, and Midorima responded with a soft grunt.

Murasakibara came forward, ruffling Kuroko's hair as he made his way to his seat. Kuroko stared after him. That was an affectionate gesture that Kuroko was not expecting at all.

He blinked.

Just as they took their seats, the door slammed open.

Kuroko's head whipped to the door.

A girl stood in the doorway, with flowing pink hair and a very ample chest. She wore a simple shirt and a skirt, with a mid-long robe that reached till her thighs.

"Where is he?" She demanded.

"Eh? Momocchi!" Kise exclaimed, shooting up from his seat.

"Ah. Ki-chan! Hey, Ki-chan, where's the new guy Akashi-kun mentioned?"

"Eh, Kurokocchi? He's here." Kise gestured to Kuroko.

"…I don't see him?"

"Here, here. Look closer, Momocchi!"

"…Ah!" She cried out in shock.

Kuroko blinked.

He stood up, giving the girl a polite bow.

"Ah… Are you Kuroko Tetsuya?" She asked.

Kuroko nodded. "Yes, I am."

"I'm Momoi Satsuki! I'm a spy for the rebel group! It's nice to meet you!" Momoi cheerfully reported.

"A spy?" Kuroko questioned.

"Akashi-kun didn't tell you? Because the human emperor likes to spy on us, we decided to do the same!" Momoi giggled.

"Kurokocchi, Momocchi is a really scary spy. Be careful or she'll know all your secrets!"

"That's mean, Ki-chan! Just because you were shy when I found out that you wore that tight, neon-coloured underwear that time, you don't ha –"

"Uwaaah!"

Kise did an impressive jump, vaulting over the dining table and clamping his hands over Momoi's mouth.

Kuroko stared at Kise blankly, as did Midorima.

Midorima coughed, pushing up his glasses. "While I won't say anything about your choice of clothes, but I do think you need to pick them carefully, Kise."

"Uwah, Midorimacchi! That's not it! It was a magic accident! I don't go out and buy things like that!"

"It's noisy here." Akashi strolled into the dining room then, raising an eyebrow at Kise's burning red face.

"Akashi-kun!" Momoi happily greeted.

"Ah, you're here, Momoi."

"Yes. I'm back from scouting the palace."

"Well done. Have you eaten? Would you like to join us?"

"Eh? Is that alright?"

"It's fine."

And they had dinner with an additional person.

Kuroko would catch Momoi glancing at him every now and then, though he didn't comment on it.

She was seated to his left, beside Midorima.

The table was lively with bright conversation between Kise and Momoi, with some comments from Midorima. Kuroko simply watched their interactions, a feeling of contentment bubbling within him. He had never experienced such a joyous dinner like this before, not even with his parents.

There had always been a tension in the air that young Kuroko could clearly pick up on, though he had pushed it away, refusing to accept it.

As Kuroko looked around, he noticed that there was an empty seat to his right.

Kise was seated one seat after like he had during lunch, as though it was a natural thing to do. Was there someone else that had yet to return to the group?

Kuroko stared at the empty seat, wondering who it could be.

His attention was drawn away from it when a small bowl of soup appeared before him. Kuroko blinked at it.

"Finish that, Kuroko. It's a soup made with ingredients to increase a person's vitality. You are still recovering, so be sure to drink it all." Akashi said, nodding towards the bowl of soup.

"Oh... I will. Thank you, Akashi-kun."

Akashi hummed, focusing back on his own meal.

Midorima, Kise, and Momoi had all stopped eating halfway, frozen, as their gazes shifted from Akashi to Kuroko and back again. Murasakibara on the other hand, was simply continuing to attack his own food.

"Eh… Kurokocchi?" Kise leaned forward, whispering to Kuroko.

"Yes, Kise-kun?" Kuroko returned, equally soft.

"Did something happen? How did you get Akashicchi to accept you so quickly?"

Kuroko tilted his head, blinking at Kise in silent question.

Kise continued, "Akashicchi would only show such outright concern to those he approves of! And besides, that bowl of soup is Akashicchi's! He always has it at every meal; I think there's some special ingredient mixed in there or something. I've never seen him offering it to someone else."

"Is that so?" Kuroko stared at the bowl of soup.

"Isn't it a good thing, Kurokocchi?"

"…Yes. Yes, it is."


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N:**

 **To Loucyanna:** Oh my, oh my. :D Among all the names you have listed, you've got one of the emperor's identities right. (^-^)/ I won't say who it is yet though~ *evil chuckles*

 **To Yomi14:** This story will be centred around the GOM, with minor (but important) appearances from other characters. (:

* * *

x

* * *

After dinner, Akashi had disappeared somewhere with Murasakibara.

Kuroko had settled into a couch in the living room.

The other three were there as well, with Kise concentrating on practicing magic while Midorima supervised. Momoi was watching Kise practice with a happy smile, and sometimes she would mischievously disrupt Kise's attempts.

Kuroko was surprised at her strong magic abilities.

He wondered if it was because of Akashi's cuffs around his wrists, but he was having trouble sensing the power of those around him. It did spare him from the constant urge to fight, but it was something Kuroko could not get used to. He felt as though there was something wrong with his body, and the feeling of being forcefully restricted wouldn't let him completely relax.

Kuroko rested his head against the backrest of the couch with a soft sigh.

Murasakibara and Akashi, he wondered what their bond was. Every time Akashi had to go somewhere, Murasakibara would always follow along. It's been only a day, but Kuroko had already seen it happening a few times.

Kuroko blinked at Kise.

"Kise-kun, why is Murasakibara-kun so attached to Akashi-kun?" Kuroko suddenly asked.

Kise lifted his head, staring at Kuroko blankly.

"Is he? Isn't it natural though?" Kise answered.

Midorima sighed. "From the viewpoint of an outsider, it's not natural, Kise."

"Eh, really?"

Midorima ignored Kise, explaining to Kuroko, "The reason why Murasakibara is like this is simply because Akashi is the only person he will listen to. He admires and respects Akashi's strength, so no matter what, he will never go against Akashi."

"Murasakibaracchi only likes strong people, and he's also a person that's very hard to move. Many times, we had to ask Akashicchi to get him to do things. It's quite troublesome, but that's who Murasakibaracchi is and we have accepted that." Kise added.

Kuroko nodded. "I see. I understand."

"But Kurokocchi, now that Akashicchi has shown his approval of you very clearly, Murasakibaracchi will include you in the list of people he likes." Kise suddenly said.

"…Why?" Kuroko asked.

Midorima huffed, and said, "Because Murasakibara only follows Akashi. Anyone that Akashi approves of, he will also accept them."

"…Oh." Kuroko blinked.

The door clicked open then, and in strolled the very person they were talking about.

Murasakibara headed straight for a couch, passing by where Kuroko was to drop a box into his lap.

Kuroko picked it up, staring at it.

"…Murasakibara-kun?" Kuroko asked, the silent question of _'what is this'_ was clear even though he only said his name.

"Aka-chin says to share. He said I could buy whatever I wanted while in the city, but that I needed to share, so that one is yours, Kuro-chin."

Kuroko's head snapped up at the nickname, blinking at Murasakibara.

…He had never heard Murasakibara address him in such a way before. Was this what Midorima meant by 'accepting'?

Still, Kuroko gratefully nodded his head in thanks.

"Eh, you were in the city?" Kise asked.

"Mm. Aka-chin said he needed to check on the humans living there."

"Oh. So he's still there?"

"Don't know. Aka-chin told me to get whatever I wanted and then go back to the base. He didn't allow me to follow him afterwards." Murasakibara pouted.

"Eh? Akashicchi said that?" Kise blinked, looking perplexed for a moment.

"Mm."

"Oh." Kise turned away then, staring at the box in Kuroko's hands.

Kuroko's eyebrow twitched, and he opened up the box, ignoring Kise's expectant eyes.

He pulled out five ice cold packets.

…Ice cream?

Murasakibara was sharing ice cream?

"Uwah! That's the really famous ice cream, isn't it? Although it's still mildly flavoured, the taste will change depending on a person's magic attributes!" Kise exclaimed. "It's a special ice cream especially made for mages!"

"…Is that so? That seems interesting." Kuroko replied.

He laid the packets of ice cream onto the low table. "There's five here, would you each like to have one?" Kuroko asked.

And like starving men, the ice cream were snapped up in an instant. Even Midorima took part.

Kuroko picked up the last packet, staring the wrapper.

"Ki-chan! You're mean!" Momoi exploded, glaring at Kise.

"It's first come first serve, Momocchi!"

"But you clearly took the one I wanted! That was the only cherry flavoured one!"

"It does not matter anyway, Momocchi! With your magic, you will still get the taste you wanted."

Momoi shook her head vigorously.

"No, no, no! This and that are different! I don't want it by magic, I want to taste it as it is!"

"Ehhh."

Kuroko shifted his gaze from the ice cream wrapper to Momoi, and back again.

Right in the middle of the packet, a large sticker that said 'Winner!' covered the centre of the wrapper. The sticker was too large to miss, so they must have had left that one for Kuroko. But Kuroko was more concentrated on the tiny print at the corner of the wrapper.

He tore open the wrapper and pulled out the ice cream.

It was a double popsicle. One was white, and the other was a pale pink.

Kuroko snapped the popsicle down the middle, into perfect halves.

As the wrapper had stated, the ice cream was a special limited edition with two different flavours in one. Vanilla and cherry.

"Momoi-san." Kuroko called.

"Hm? Kuroko-kun?" Momoi responded, distracted from her argument with Kise.

"If you don't mind, here. It seems like this ice cream is duo flavoured. If you would like, please take the cherry flavoured one."

Momoi gasped, snatching the ice cream from Kuroko's hands. She stared at Kuroko like he was a hero, her cheeks warming up with a blush.

Kuroko didn't seem to take much notice, eating the other popsicle.

"No way, are you serious! That's the rumoured double flavoured ice cream? I thought it was just a gimmick to make people buy more, and that it actually didn't exist!" Kise cried out in surprise.

"Kuro-chin has good luck in snacks." Murasakibara said, eyeing the unopened ice cream Momoi had left on the table.

Momoi noticed, and handed it over to Murasakibara.

She then proceeded to happily consume hers.

"It seems that fate is in Kuroko's favour." Midorima softly commented.

Kise was blinking at Momoi's blushing face, a serious look on his face.

"Hm," Kise hummed.

He didn't say anything more though, only quietly eating his own ice cream.

* * *

x

* * *

"Aka-chin."

"Yes, Murasakibara?"

"Are we ready yet?"

"Not quite yet. The human emperor is a tricky man, you know."

"Hn, how long more?"

"Perhaps two more months. Momoi is doing a really good job on gathering intel for us."

"It's long, Aka-chin. It's dangerous."

"I know it is, Murasakibara. But rushing ahead is not a good thing."

"Hnn. But it's not good. It's not safe to wait anymore."

"…It will be. I will make sure that we will be fully prepared before we are ready."

"But…"

"Atsushi. We will only move when I say so. Do you understand, Atsushi?"

"Hnn. Yes, Aka-chin."

"Good. In the meantime, we should probably train him."

"Ah? Do you mean Kuro-chin?"

"Yes."

"Training? Kuro-chin? He's coming with us?"

"Though there hasn't been any spoken agreement yet, there is no doubt that he will join us. He has to, if he wants to fulfil the promise he made."

"Ehhh? What promise?"

"Ah, I shall talk about that to the group later. It would be better for them to know. Anyway, for now, just be good and wait."

"Mmkay~"

* * *

x

* * *

Kise had dragged Kuroko around earlier, showing him around their base. He had been really careful to point out the rooms they were using too, especially Akashi's. Kise spent a whole ten minutes repeating how to get to Akashi's room from the one Kuroko was using.

Kise had said that he would try to get Akashi to give Kuroko a nicer room, because Akashi did not seem to have any plans to move Kuroko. But Kuroko didn't mind though. Sure, the room was tiny and dark, but there was a comfortable bed to sleep on. That was enough for Kuroko.

The only place Kise refused to bring him to were the dungeons.

He said that Kuroko could only enter that place when accompanied by Akashi. He wouldn't explain further, but Kuroko knew. Akashi had approved of him, but did not quite trust him yet. He was generally nice to Kuroko, but there was a distance between them that Akashi did not have with the other members of his group.

Kuroko did not blame Akashi. It was only right to be cautious, no matter how strong Akashi may be.

After Kise's tour of the place, it was almost midnight.

They had been waiting for Akashi to return, but he did not.

Murasakibara had frowned when Akashi was five minutes late past the time he said he would return, so he went out to search. Even Midorima was puzzled, because Akashi was not the type to be late.

But Murasakibara came back with no news.

Eventually, they headed to bed. They were not that worried about Akashi, since he was more than capable of taking care of himself. It just unsettled them how Akashi disappeared without a word.

However, not long after they had returned to their own rooms, Akashi came back.

From where he stood, just outside his room, Kuroko could hear the heavy footsteps of Murasakibara following a set of lighter ones, both walking in the direction to Akashi's room.

Kuroko had felt an odd sense of relief when Akashi had returned. He did not know why though. Surely he could not have been unconsciously depending on Akashi after just one day? He contemplated these thoughts as he made his way into his room.

* * *

x

* * *

The next day was uneventful.

Kuroko barely even saw Akashi, just a glimpse of him leaving the base only to return and shut himself in his room. Akashi seemed to be surprisingly busy. One would have expected a leader to sit back and let the subordinates do the work, but that was not the case with Akashi.

Sometimes, Midorima would accompany Akashi when he left, the both of them disappearing for hours.

Kuroko had his meals with everyone, but other than that, he mostly kept to himself.

The day before, Akashi had answered the questions Kuroko had amicably.

But there were still things that Kuroko couldn't bring himself to ask.

He needed to find someone to direct those questions to. Someone who could seriously give him the answers to his questions. Perhaps, he could ask Kise. But Kise had returned to his training, and he had barely spoken a word to Kuroko.

Kuroko sighed. Maybe he should not bother Kise.

He curled up on his bed, taking in deep breaths to ease the pounding in his head. The headache had started from when he woke up, and steadily worsened. It wasn't a normal headache though. This painful pounding was caused by the restrictions around his wrists.

The uncomfortable feeling from yesterday was a warning.

But Kuroko did not know that, and had simply pushed it to the back of his mind.

It was only now that Kuroko fully realised what that warning meant.

It was his body's way of telling him to free himself from the restraints.

However, that was impossible to achieve.

Only Akashi could remove them.

Kuroko forced himself up, staggering to the door.

For now, this was just a simple headache. It wasn't too difficult to bear. Rather than this, the desire to have his questions answered was more pressing. Slowly, he left his room and made his way down the hallway.

* * *

Kuroko paused, hesitating in front of Midorima's room door.

It was past midnight, and Kuroko did not know if Midorima had already fallen asleep.

He must have stood there so long that even Midorima detected his presence.

The room door opened.

Midorima silently adjusted his glasses, and then beckoned Kuroko inside.

Kuroko took a seat on one of the chairs, feeling a little tense.

Midorima sat on his bed. He did not seem like he had been asleep, so that was good. Kuroko did not disturb his rest then.

"What did you come to find me for?" Midorima gruffly asked.

"…I have some questions to ask." Kuroko answered.

Midorima stared at Kuroko, not saying a word.

He suddenly reached out, resting his fingers on Kuroko's forehead.

And the pounding in his head abruptly eased.

Kuroko blinked.

"Thank you, Midorima-kun." Kuroko softly murmured.

Midorima grunted. "And? What is it?"

"Yesterday, Akashi-kun told me many things, even about the two emperors. But there was a question I couldn't ask him."

Midorima nodded silently, and Kuroko continued, "Why is it that Akashi-kun did not kill the human emperor right away? He is surely strong enough for that. But instead, he chose to form a rebel group to go against the emperor. Why is that?"

Midorima glanced away, face grim.

"Do you know what Akashi is?" He questioned.

"Yes, he told me about himself." Kuroko nodded.

"Then, Kuroko. Do you know why the being Akashi listens to did not stop the war back then?"

"Do you mean the Higher Calling? The only one that can wake the Sleeping Gods?"

"Yes."

"Akashi-kun says that it's because it is not allowed to."

"Yes, and that is a rule that can never be broken. And Akashi too, he is bound by rules."

"What kind of rules?" Kuroko asked.

"To prevent anything like back then from happening again, there is a rule that is engraved unto Akashi. Every action he makes while he is awake, all must be backed by a 'reason'. That is the rule that Akashi can never break."

"A reason?"

"A reason to stop the emperor, not just killing him because he was ordered to. Over the years, Akashi has collected evidence of the spell the First Emperor is using on the people. But it's still not enough. If he were to present what he has now, the most he can do is dethrone the innocent emperor. Do not forget, Akashi's aim is not the emperor that everyone else sees, but the First Emperor controlling the body of the current one."

Kuroko's eyebrows furrowed. Indeed, compared to the truly evil First Emperor controlling him, the current emperor may as well be completely innocent.

"Then how is he going to kill the First Emperor?" Kuroko asked.

"That, I am unsure. All I know is that the creation of this rebel group is one of the things he needs in order to openly go against the First Emperor. He has been gathering those who are necessary to him, and I don't just mean us. He casts protective spells even on the civilians. Of course, he has to choose carefully or the First Emperor will notice. Also, Akashi and Momoi have been preparing something. However, whatever it is, it's still not ready yet."

"I see." Kuroko sighed.

"Midorima-kun, can I ask something else?"

"What is it?"

"I have noticed the strange seating placements at the table. There's even a special seat for Momoi-san. But there is a blank seat that everyone seems to avoid. The one who is missing, who is it?"

Midorima grunted, a deeper frown than before on his face.

"That missing person is a member of the rebel group, one of our strongest fighters. However, he is not here now due to certain reasons."

"Is it alright if I were to ask about those reasons?"

Midorima averted his eyes from Kuroko's. He removed his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose.

There was a moment of heavy silence as Midorima contemplated something.

Then a sigh left his lips as he slid his glasses on again.

"That man, he is known as Aomine Daiki. He has fallen into the First Emperor's hands."

Kuroko gasped.

"Did the First Emperor hypnotise him?"

"He did. And it's so strong that Akashi's anti-hypnosis protective spell that he covers all of us with was broken."

"The First Emperor is strong enough to break Akashi's spells?"

"Some spells, yes. This is the man that rules the humans, after all. And rulers have to be strong. During our last attempt to stop the emperor, Aomine was caught by the First Emperor. Back then, Akashi could not save him without killing the First Emperor. Due to the restriction placed onto Akashi, he had no choice but to sacrifice Aomine or lose us all."

"What would have happened if Akashi broke the rules?" Kuroko asked.

"He can't."

"He can't?"

"Yes. He cannot go against it. If he had forcibly destroyed the restrictions on him and killed the First Emperor then, Akashi would have faced immediate punishment."

"…Will he end up becoming a vampire?"

"That is one possibility. If it does happen, it will be a truly sad fate for him. Vampires are not allowed to take their own lives. Akashi would have to live the life of a detestable vampire until someone mercifully kills him."

"Then… What about the other possibilities?"

"There are only two options for him. One, to fall from being a Sleeping God and be turned into a vampire. The other possibility is equally sad. The Higher Calling would erase him. In other words, Akashi would perish."

"But I thought the Higher Calling can't intervene at all? So how can Akashi-kun be affected?"

"Sleeping Gods are different. They are beings directly under the orders of the Higher Calling, serving as the Higher Calling's arms and legs. Therefore, the Higher Calling has no problems destroying them."

"That's…" Kuroko was unable to find anything to say.

Midorima hummed thoughtfully. "You made the right choice in not asking Kise about this, Kuroko."

"Eh?"

"Because Kise believes it is his fault that Aomine was enslaved to the First Emperor."

Midorima paused, seeming to be conflicted. Eventually, though he clearly appeared to be reluctant, he said, "Aomine is a gruff guy, but he also cares deeply for us, his members. In truth, Kise was the one who was caught first, and Aomine attempted to save him. He succeeded, but at the cost of himself.

"Back then, Kise was still in the process of learning magic. His powers were much weaker than ours, but he was still strong enough to fight against the Royal Knights. None of us actually expected the First Emperor to target Kise, because the First Emperor is the type to ignore those weaker than him. We were proven wrong when he went after Kise."

Midorima sighed.

"After that incident, Kise was like a man possessed. He constantly tried to run back to the palace to save Aomine. Akashi had to forcefully lock Kise up to prevent him from doing anything foolish. Kise then began to train himself in his lacking magic abilities, but magic is fickle. If you do not meet the right conditions, no matter how hard a person trains, their magic power will not grow. No matter how hard Kise tried, his magic was not able to grow to the level he wanted.

"When he finally settled down and accepted it, a tension formed between him and Akashi. Kise understands that Akashi sacrificed saving Aomine for us. Even so, he gets very sensitive when it comes to Akashi.

"Just like yesterday, when you were talking with Akashi for a long time, his fears surfaced. Kise does trust Akashi, but that trust wavers whenever it involves those who he cares about. A trauma, perhaps, from watching Akashi throw away Aomine in front of his eyes."

Kuroko lowered his head.

"Kise-kun really cares about me that much? Why? I do not believe having done anything worthy." Kuroko murmured.

Midorima settled his gaze on Kuroko, a frustrated look of 'why are you making me say this' on his face.

It took a while, but Midorima sighed and gave in. He said, "It's the little things, Kuroko. Kise is quite an observant person. From when you aided him when he was struggling against the beast sent by the First Emperor, or when you had quietly chosen to kill the other one to protect us when I was unable to due to the purification magic I placed on myself. And I believe the action that caused Kise to be so attached to you, is when you gave me dragon's blood."

"Do you mean the black dragon's blood from that time?"

"Yes. We know just how much you treasure the black dragon. So when you were willing to give its precious blood to someone whom you barely know, we were all shocked. To give away the memento of your dragon, the only being to have accepted all of you, to help a stranger who could have turned around and betrayed you… How much strength it must have taken…" Midorima trailed off.

Midorima suddenly fixed Kuroko with a fierce stare.

"Kuroko, I have a question to ask."

Kuroko blinked, surprised.

"Go ahead, Midorima-kun."

"Why did you give the blood to me? I cannot understand the reason. Was it out of guilt?"

"…It would be a lie if I said no, but that's not all. Because your condition was very weak back then, giving you blood was the safest method to aid you. I could tell just how important your role in this upcoming fight is, Midorima-kun. So I wanted to help you, it was not just out of guilt." Kuroko softly answered.

"I see. Even so, I would hate for you to view me as a person who was lacking in manners…" Midorima mumbled.

"Eh?" Kuroko asked, he couldn't quite hear what Midorima was mumbling about.

Midorima stood up from where he was seated on the bed, and bowed. "Please accept my gratitude for helping me."

Kuroko immediately rose from the chair he was sitting on.

"It's alright, you do not have to do that, Midorima-kun. Even if you had simply given me a word of thanks, it would've been more than enough."

Midorima straightened up, fiddling with his glasses.

"Hm."

Kuroko smiled.

"Midorima-kun."

"What?"

"Thank you for being willing to explain it all to me. I must have imposed on you quite a bit."

"It's nothing. If you are coming with us to fight, you will have to know this eventually."

Kuroko nodded.

"I will be. And though I have yet to have an agreement with Akashi-kun, I'm sure that he knows what choice I will make."

* * *

x

* * *

"…What? Why are you staring at me?"

"You've been cooped up in here ever since Kotarou and Makoto were both taken away by the rebel group, Daiki."

"Che. That's got nothing to do with it. There's nothing fun out there, that's all."

"Well, that's true. That new rebel kid disappeared too. He is most likely inside the leader's barrier. I still didn't manage to get his name too."

"…Oi, Emperor. You're destroying your throne with how tightly you're gripping it."

"Ah, oops. I'm in a terrible mood right now, Daiki. That new kid, he's strong. I have never seen such strength before. That is, excluding the rebel leader's."

"Hm. Maybe I should have gone to meet that new kid instead of Hayama?"

"No. I won't allow you to be anywhere near that group."

"Hah? Why not? I'm not weak!"

"Shut your mouth, Daiki. You are my important hostage so there's no way I'm taking any chances of you meeting with them."

"…Tch. What hostage, haven't I been serving you for a long time?"

"Hm? …Well, it's good that you don't remember. It's better for me that way. Still, I really, really want that kid. With him as a sacrifice, my new spell will surely be unbreakable. And my rule from now on will be very pleasant for me."

"…"

"Should I send out more people? Or should I wait for them to come to me? I really want that kid in my hands right now. He must be punished for daring to destroy my palace."

"He didn't really attack you. Wasn't it just a magic resonance?"

"Shut up! He had the audacity to talk to me in that manner and use that cursed magic! I must have him. I will make him beg me to pardon him!"

"…"

"That damned brat, how dare he…!"

"…Your Majesty, the entire palace is shaking due to your anger. If you're not careful, it may break again."

"Shut up! Don't take that tone with me! I'll kill you!"

"…Che!"

"Hmph. You really are weak. You can't even free yourself from my grip around your neck. It would be so easy to kill you right now. Perhaps I should cut up your limbs and send them over to the rebel group. Hah. That would be fun to watch. Do you want that? No? If you don't, then you must know what to do, Daiki."

"…Ngh!"

"Heh. That's right. Kneel, Daiki. In the face of my power, you are nothing. You should know your place! Be glad that I have yet to throw you into the dungeons."

"…Yes, Your Majesty."

"That kid, when I get him, how shall I deal with him? Torturing him is not enough. Maybe I'll use him to kill the other members of the rebel group. Since he's strong, if I have him go against the leader… Yes, yes. That seems like a good plan. But I shall not go to him, I'll be patient for now and wait until he comes to me. Then I'll seize him."

"…"

"Hahaha! Yes, come to me, you insolent brat! I will let you experience the best suffering there is!"


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N:**

 **To BabyNightmareLady:** Nope, there isn't any of the Extra Game characters.

* * *

Kuroko laid on the bed in his room, fiddling with the black cuffs around his wrists.

Torches lined one wall of the room, all brightly lit.

Akashi had lifted some of the restrictions he placed on the room; it was just enough for Kuroko to use some of his magic spells. The restriction magic Akashi used was different from the one Kuroko had, and it felt like it was on a different level.

Akashi was a being that would even devour the souls of dragons, so it's only a given that his magic was stronger.

Kuroko wondered if he would be able to even win against Akashi.

And to make matters worse, the First Emperor is apparently strong enough to break some of Akashi's spells. Just how terrifyingly strong was the First Emperor?

Kuroko sighed.

He had left Midorima's room about two hours ago, but was unable to find sleep. His head constantly replayed the things Midorima had said, especially the one about Kise.

Midorima mentioned that magic was fickle and that there were conditions that came with it. However, Kuroko was unsure if Midorima was hiding some things from him or that he really did not know.

Magic had its own conditions, yes.

But there is a way to forcefully increase magic power.

Kuroko frowned.

Perhaps Midorima truly did not know, because the method Kuroko knew of, was one only accessible to black dragons. He doubted that white dragons were even able to use that magic.

Kuroko closed his eyes.

"Astaroth." He whispered.

 _Master?_

"Do you remember that spell you taught me that's used for increasing magic abilities?"

 _Yes, I do. But you have never used it before, have you?_

"Yes… I was thinking of helping Kise-kun by using that. He is lacking in magic power."

… _But it will be very dangerous._

"I know. Kise-kun may not survive the strength of the spell."

 _Will you still try to use that magic on him?_

"I want to. I want to help him."

… _However, Master…_

"Hm?"

 _Kise Ryouta is human. You are using a dragon's spell on a human, so even if it succeeds, there will be repercussions. Due to the unnatural power surge, Kise Ryouta's body will change. In the worst case, his lifespan will shorten._

Kuroko sat up.

"Shorten? But Midorima-kun is fine? I've personally checked on his condition back then."

 _In certain amounts, dragon's blood is safe for humans. But dragon's magic is different. It's too dangerous. There are many who have attempted to learn it, but they end up dying. What you're planning for Kise Ryouta includes pure dragon magic, which humans are unable to bear. Even if it succeeds, it may result in him having only a few months left to live._

Kuroko frowned, thinking.

"…Then, what if I modify it?"

 _You may do so. I am unsure of the price that Kise Ryouta will have to bear after your modification of the spell, but the consequences will not be as terrible. For the spell to still work even after heavy modification, you have to be very careful about the core magic that the spell contains. Even the slightest mistake can be fatal._

"Yes, I understand. Thank you, Astaroth."

* * *

"Kurokocchi?"

Kuroko lifted his heavy head, blinking at Kise.

"Kurokocchi, are you alright? You don't look good."

"…I am fine." Kuroko assured Kise, but averted his gaze.

"Do you want me to get Midorimacchi? If you are not well, Midorimacchi can heal you." Kise anxiously asked.

Kuroko slowly shook his head.

"I'm fine. I'm just a little tired. Sorry, Kise-kun. I will be heading back to my room to rest." Kuroko stood up, turning around without looking back at Kise's worried face.

"…Okay, rest well."

Kuroko stumbled into his room, shutting the door clumsily.

He fell face-first into his bed.

The restraints on him were the cause of everything, those serenely glowing seals mocking him as he glared at them.

Kuroko gritted his teeth.

It's been two days since the last time Midorima had helped to ease his headache, and now Kuroko couldn't even call the painful pounding a mere headache anymore.

He tightly clenched the bedsheets, smashing his face into his pillow to muffle his pained groans.

It hurt.

It _hurt._

His mind was being torn apart by the piercing pain, he couldn't even breathe properly.

This agony…

It felt like his blood was being force to flow backwards, the screaming in his head blocking out everything else.

Unconsciously, Kuroko moved a hand to his head and began to pull hard at his hair. He accidentally bit down on his lip, causing it to split open and bleed. His laboured pants slowly morphed into desperate gasps for air.

 _Free me._

Kuroko's hand tightened around the bedsheets.

 _Free me._

His body shook violently, the fingers in his hair digging in hard and causing bloodied trails as it moved down his face.

 _Free me!_

Kuroko cried out in pain just as the door to his room slammed open.

"Kurokocchi!"

Kuroko faintly heard what seemed to be Kise's voice, though he couldn't really register anything.

"Midorimacchi! Hurry!"

"Move out of the way, Kise."

Kuroko's body was turned around and forcefully held down.

Slowly, torturously slow, the stabbing pain began to ease.

Through his blurry vision, he saw yellow and green around him.

"Kurokocchi? Are you okay now?"

"Be quiet, Kise. Let him rest."

Kuroko's eyes closed and he sunk into a deep sleep.

* * *

"But Akashicchi! If Kurokocchi continues like this, it would be bad!"

Akashi tilted his head, considering Kise's words.

"Hm. Perhaps it's the right time to start his training now? And there's also something I want to tell him about that black dragon of his…"

"Akashicchi! Won't you remove the restraints? Midorimacchi analysed that those are the cause of Kurokocchi's pain!"

"He will have to adapt to it. He is too dangerous for me to let him roam freely."

"But Akashicchi!"

Akashi shifted, leaning back into the single couch. He stared at Kise's anxious face as he stood before him. Kise's eyes clearly told Akashi that he was determined to argue with him until he agreed to remove Kuroko's restraints.

There was a mild throbbing in his head as Kise's emotions flowed into him: anxiousness, worry, distress, and the very slightest hint of anger.

"…Fine." Akashi sighed. "I will consider releasing some of it."

"Really, Akashicchi?" Kise's eyes widened in surprise.

Akashi nodded, looking a little tired. "Yes. Will you calm down now? Your emotions are tiring to deal with."

Kise fidgeted, a little embarrassed.

"Where is Kuroko?" Akashi asked.

"Still resting." Kise replied.

"Get him to head outside later, I have things I wish to explain to him about his dragon. Most likely, this is something he does not know." Akashi stood up, giving his orders to Kise and then left his room.

Kise blinked, staring at Akashi's back.

"Yes."

* * *

x

* * *

Kuroko carefully approached Akashi, who was waiting for him near his black dragon.

"Akashi-kun." Kuroko greeted.

"You're here, Kuroko. Come closer."

Kuroko stepped to where Akashi was, looking up at the black dragon. The dragon only blinked back, his head tilted in curiosity.

"Is something the matter, Akashi-kun?"

"I realised it when I took a closer look at your dragon. Do you know that your dragon is a little special, Kuroko?" Akashi asked.

"…I did notice that the dragon is rather different, but I don't think that's what you meant." Kuroko cautiously answered.

Akashi nodded.

"Could you lower your head?" Akashi directed the question at the dragon, who obediently obeyed.

Akashi reached out, tracing the jewels on the dragon's head. He started to explain, "While some dragons do have a single jewel on their heads, there have never been one who carries three of them, especially in such a pattern."

Kuroko blinked, staring at the dragon.

"Did the dragon have them when he was not yet matured?" Akashi glanced at Kuroko, waiting for his answer.

Kuroko shook his head.

"There were some strange indents on his head before, but it was only when we were reunited that I noticed the dragon's head suddenly bore those jewels."

Akashi turned back, gently running his fingers over the dragon's eye ridge.

"I have seen it once before, a long time ago." Akashi murmured.

"Eh?"

"This mark, this exact pattern. Do you know what they symbolise?" Akashi asked.

"…No, I do not."

"Your dragon did not tell you?"

"…No." Kuroko stared at the dragon then, raising his eyebrows in silent question. The dragon returned his look with a confused blink.

"I see. It looks like even your dragon does not know."

"What is it, Akashi-kun?"

"Kuroko, this special mark is only given to the Leader of the Dragons."

"What?" Kuroko gaped at Akashi, watching him with wide eyes.

The dragon too, had gone still.

"The last time I had seen this mark on a dragon, is when this world barely had any humans. The dragon back then bearing this mark was a Golden Dragon." Akashi softly spoke.

"A golden dragon? Those kinds of dragons actually existed?" Kuroko's awed voice rang out in the silence between the three of them.

"Yes, at one point, they did. They were wiser than any other dragon, and the strongest. Comparing the golden dragons of the past to a white dragon now is a mockery to them. Even a black dragon cannot win against them. Though they only held a single type of power, but they were strongest creature to have ever existed.

"I would even go so far as to say that golden dragons were the only beast that Sleeping Gods would avoid."

Akashi smiled as he said that, appearing to be reminiscing.

"…They were that strong? Then, what kind of power did they hold? And what happened to them, why are there no longer any golden dragons?" Kuroko released a barrage of questions at Akashi.

Akashi chuckled. "Slowly, Tetsuya."

Kuroko's head whipped to the side, and the mismatched eyes of the _other Akashi_ met his gaze. He had only seen this Akashi once before. He was curious indeed, but now was not the time to ask.

"The golden dragons could be likened to miniature suns. They had scales as bright as the sun, glowing in the light of day. They could even melt their surroundings just by the heat their bodies give off. Of course, they were also capable of controlling that. And the single power they held, was the power of light." Akashi said.

"The power of light?" Kuroko repeated.

"Yes. It is similar to the power of fire, except it was at least a hundred times stronger. In the lullabies of the other creatures, praises for the glorious golden dragons are sung. It is said that the sun raises everyday due to the prayers of the golden dragons. Every night, the golden dragons would gather together to call forth the sun for the start of a new day."

Akashi softly laughed then. "Of course, those are just stories. But from those stories alone, you can tell just how sacred the golden dragons were regarded as."

Akashi's fell silent for a while as his expression slowly became darker.

"But when the population of humans began to increase, the golden dragons made a decision. They saw a future world where humans learnt of their existence, and in an attempt to control them, all creatures in this world would be sacrificed. This world will became nothing more than a desolate land. Even the humans would eventually die out.

"From the very start, the early humans did not view the dragons as sacred beings. Rather, all they saw was a way to selfishly become stronger. But even if that was the case, the golden dragons did not want this world to come to an end.

"And so, the Leader of the Dragons gathered all golden dragons and together, they erased their own existence from this world."

Kuroko gasped, unable to even utter a sound.

Akashi raised his head a little, gazing into the distance. If was as though he was watching something that Kuroko couldn't see.

"The world was then left to the rest of the dragons, with black dragons replacing the golden dragons as the strongest being. But even with that sacrifice, the dragons still fell into the hands of humans. …Ah, that's right. You have asked me once before, haven't you, Tetsuya?"

"Eh?"

"About why the corrupted Sleeping God chose humans as the one to rule this world. I can't be too sure, but I suppose I can guess the reason. Perhaps this result may be because of the pitiful grudge that the corrupted Sleeping God had. As an almost omnipotent Sleeping God, yet unable to win against a Golden Dragon, he held a grudge. Therefore, he wanted humans to rule? …How childish."

Akashi's voice faded away as he stared at the ground.

Kuroko stared at Akashi's downcast eyes. He had never asked what Akashi had thought of his father; that corrupted Sleeping God. Even now, as he watched Akashi's expressionless face, Kuroko couldn't tell exactly what Akashi was feeling. There didn't seem to be any hate nor disgust in his eyes, rather, they were… empty.

Akashi softly continued then, "After the golden dragons perished, the years passed and countless dragons are born. But none of them ever bore the mark of the Leader, until now."

He lifted his gaze, staring into the wide eyes of the dragon before him.

"But it really is appalling. To think that even the true history in the dragon's knowledge would be distorted. Your black dragon should have learnt of all this when it matured. But it seems like it didn't." Akashi frowned. "I should have expected this, seeing as how the First Emperor has all the other dragons under his control for a long time."

Akashi sighed, "You have a lot to learn, Black Dragon."

The dragon blinked and a low, rumbling growl resounded.

Akashi smiled a little.

"Tetsuya."

"Yes, Akashi-kun?"

"Your dragon will one day be made to take on the burden of being to one who leads all others."

"Yes."

"Your contract with him will only end up becoming an unneeded obstacle."

"Eh? …But why?"

"As a Leader, to be bound to anything, makes others view the Leader as incompetent. Other dragons will know of your dragon's contract with you, and regardless of that chosen mark upon him, they will still fight against your dragon to overthrow him.

"Dragons are prideful creatures, Tetsuya. Someone who they deemed unworthy is to become their Leader, their pride will not allow them to let this slide. Your dragon will have harsh battles ahead."

Akashi patted the black dragon's head.

"But now is not yet time. Your dragon is still too lacking in knowledge." Akashi turned to face Kuroko then, pinning him with that piercing gaze.

"…Akashi-kun?"

"Tetsuya. I am asking you this because this dragon is contracted to you. Will you allow me to share the forgotten history with your dragon? However, to do so, I would need to form a temporary contract. Do not worry, it will dissolve once everything is settled."

"…" Kuroko fell silent, turning his eyes onto the dragon.

The dragon simply stared back at him. It seems that the dragon was going to leave the decision to Kuroko.

"Although I say it is a contract, what I will actually be doing is forming a link between your dragon and I. Nothing like the one you have with the dragon." Akashi specified.

"Oh." Kuroko blinked. "Then, please go ahead. If it will benefit the dragon, then it would be better for Akashi-kun to do this."

Akashi nodded.

"Alright. You can head back and rest now, Tetsuya. I have finished explaining everything you needed to know about your dragon. The rest, I will leave it up to your dragon to inform you."

"Yes, Akashi-kun."

Kuroko hardly even turned around before Akashi suddenly called out to him.

"Ah, hold on, Tetsuya."

Kuroko blinked.

"Come to my room after dinner, I have something else to discuss with you."

"Yes, Akashi-kun."

* * *

"…I'm sorry?" Kuroko blinked, staring at Akashi, unable to comprehend what he just heard.

"Is it hard to understand? All I said was that you will begin training from today." Akashi smiled.

"But you said that you wanted me to destroy the entire forest behind the base!" Kuroko exclaimed.

"No," Akashi shook his head, "I only said that it would be good training for you to do that."

"…Isn't it the same thing?"

"You see, Kuroko, this place is within my barrier. That includes the forest too. The training I'm asking you to do is to break my barrier over the forest. That's all."

Kuroko gaped at Akashi.

"Akashi-kun, I do not believe that that is possible."

"Hm? Why not? You're strong enough to try it."

Kuroko raised his eyebrows, incredulous.

Then, while making sure Akashi was watching, Kuroko slowly lifted his hands to show them to Akashi. More specifically, the black cuffs around his wrists.

Akashi blinked.

"Ah. No worries, I will adjust them."

"…Adjust?"

"Kuroko, you really are too dangerous. Even someone like me felt mildly threatened the very first time I saw you. So I cannot allow you to use your full strength as you wish. You have no need to worry, I will change the properties of my seals enough that you will be able to access about seventy percent of your power."

"You want me to break your exceptionally strong barrier with just seventy percent of my power? I cannot do that, Akashi-kun."

Akashi smirked.

"Oh? You're upset?"

"That's because –!"

"Kuroko."

Akashi interrupted Kuroko, an infuriating smirk on his face. "Shouldn't you be happy, Kuroko? If you manage to succeed, won't it mean that you have grown stronger?"

Kuroko frowned. He really did not understand what Akashi was thinking.

"But Akashi-kun, you just said that I'm dangerous. So if I get stronger, won't it be bad for you?"

"Who knows?"

"…Akashi-kun." Kuroko glared.

A little chuckle left Akashi's lips.

"Tetsuya, the future is an uncertain thing. What is perceived as 'bad' may become 'good' in due time."

Akashi smiled, the light of the setting sun reflecting off his yellow eye.

Akashi. It was the other Akashi.

Kuroko did not miss the different way he was addressed.

"…I do not understand, Akashi-kun."

"It's fine if you don't. You only need to listen to my orders." Akashi said. "Go and train yourself, Tetsuya."

Kuroko's eyebrows creased.

"You are not Akashi-kun?" He asked.

"I am."

"But…"

"Are you worried? You don't have to be, Tetsuya. I am Akashi Seijuurou."

"You are different." Kuroko stated.

Akashi smiled.

"Yes. We differ slightly. 'I' am power."

"…Power? Are you the source of Akashi-kun's power?"

"I am one part of it. 'He' also holds strength."

Akashi lifted his hand, softly tapping a finger against his chest, above his heart. His yellow eye glowed and his expression even seemed to have softened.

"We are one. Together, we are power and strength. We share this body, shifting when it is necessary."

Kuroko tilted his head.

Somehow, somehow, he understood.

They were different, but the same. It wasn't a fight between two people, but rather, there was a peaceful coexistence.

Kuroko slowly nodded his head.

Akashi smiled, one of satisfaction.

"Akashi-kun."

"Yes, Tetsuya?"

"Are you willing to answer my question that I asked back then?"

"About why I choose to fight against the First Emperor?"

"Yes."

"You have heard of the Emperor's evil deeds, haven't you, Tetsuya?"

"I have, Akashi-kun."

"Right now, the First Emperor is planning to create something even worse. He is greedy, and wants everything to be in his grasp. He wishes to rule a kingdom, made just for him."

"What do you mean?"

"The hypnosis on the people now is weak. Though the people are hypnotized, they are still able to live most of their lives naturally. They are even able to indulge in gossip. For many years, the emperor was happy with it. Until his greed surfaced once more."

"What does he plan to do to the people?"

"He wants full control over them. Their every word and action will be dictated by him. Just like a child who wishes for attention. From the information I have gathered, the First Emperor is preparing a large scale magic for that plan of his. He has also prepared a special room just for that spell alone."

Kuroko asked, "Then are you trying to destroy that?"

"Yes. Do you know the requirements of the magic spell the emperor is creating, Tetsuya?"

Kuroko shook his head.

"Sacrifices. To gain a power that no one else has, the emperor is touching upon forbidden, evil magic. He feeds the spell with the lives of many with no exceptions; Humans, Dark Creatures and Dragons. The stronger the being, the stronger the spell becomes.

"So far, in this year alone, the emperor has given the spell two white dragons, four green dragons, one red and one bronze. As for Dark Creatures, they ranged from goblins to nymphs, but their total count was about twenty. And humans…" Akashi frowned as he said, "…At least a hundred."

Kuroko stared at Akashi, wide-eyed. His mind reeled with the shocking revelation.

Akashi continued, "The sacrifices are thrown into the spell, where it then _absorbs_ them. The spell is not like what is normally used. I told you, right? The emperor has laid his hands onto evil magic. That magic spell is alive. It's a living beast that only gets stronger the more it consumes.

"And then it would use that strength to do whatever the master that summons it wants. Even if it means taking over the whole world."

Kuroko lowered his head, gazing blankly at the ground.

"Then… Then when will the spell be completed?"

Akashi's eyes closed, and when he opened them, they were both red again.

"Very soon. It will be completed very soon." Akashi softly said.

"Then shouldn't we stop the emperor before he completes it?" Kuroko's head shot up, "Why are you waiting around, Akashi-kun? We need to stop that spell quickly!"

Kuroko was frantic, worried, and he stared at the relaxed Akashi in desperation.

However, Akashi only leaned back and smirked.

"The emperor is creating a beast. What better way is there to fight a beast with another beast?" Akashi said.

Kuroko froze.

"You… It can't be… Akashi-kun, are you also doing the same thing? Did you create a similar spell? Are you sacrificing others, just like the emperor is?"

Kuroko gaped, feeling shocked, confused, and angry. Was Akashi really doing such a thing? If he really was, then didn't it mean that he was lying to everyone? Using them in such a way… And what about this rebel group? Did they know? Did they agree to such a thing?

Akashi suddenly exhaled, rubbing his temples with one hand.

"Your emotions are giving me a headache, Kuroko. Calm down. Yes, I am creating a beast as well, but not in the same manner as the emperor is."

Kuroko blinked. "What…?"

The mess of feelings within Kuroko settled down, leaving only confusion as the predominant emotion.

Akashi's face relaxed.

"Just know that I will not do the same things as the emperor." Akashi sighed.

Though hesitant, Kuroko nodded his head once.

"Good. Now that that's out of the way, it's time for you to start your training."

"Eh? Right now? But night has fallen."

"That matters not. Go and try to see how much power you can draw out while the wrist restrains are on. An hour or two is enough. Come back and report to me once you're done."

"…I understand."

Kuroko lightly turned on his feet, quietly leaving Akashi's room.

* * *

"Akashi-kun?"

"Ah, Momoi."

Momoi blinked, observing Akashi.

"Are you alright? You seem tired, Akashi-kun."

Akashi hummed.

"Kuroko's distrust and suspicion is strong, as well as confusion. Those emotions are quite an annoyance to deal with."

Momoi smiled, "I see. But it can't be helped."

"I know. So, why have you paid me a visit this late at night, Momoi?"

"Ah! That's right. I wanted to know what you want to do about those prisoners. We have placed Hanamiya Makoto into a forceful sleep, but that won't last for long."

Akashi blinked. "Hm. Shall we hand him over to Kuroko? He said he wanted his dragon to break the hypnosis. Most probably as some kind of training."

Momoi raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"Oh? Well, I suppose that's fine. Shall I bring him down to the dungeons tomorrow?"

"No, it's alright. I shall do it myself."

"Okay, I understand. Where is he now?"

Akashi smirked. "Training."

"Training? Eh? With who?"

"Me." Akashi replied.

" _Eh?"_ Momoi blinked, confused. Then she stared at Akashi like she was looking at a ghost.

Akashi chuckled.

"I have sent him to attempt to break the barrier around the forest."

"What!" Momoi exclaimed. "But he still has those restrains on his wrists, doesn't he?"

"Yes. Exactly the reason why I sent him. I will modify my seals on the restrains once he returns."

Momoi gasped. "It can't be… Are you trying to train him to get strong enough to fight against the emperor?"

Akashi smiled.

Momoi fidgeted restlessly.

"I don't think he will be able to do it." She said.

"There are two layers of barriers in the forest. Earlier, I have made the first barrier's strength similar to a spell of the emperor's. If Kuroko manages to break that, he would be able to have an inkling of the emperor's strength." Akashi explained.

Momoi's brows furrowed.

"But it feels like a dangerous move. What if he turns around and chooses to betray us?" She murmured.

"I am certain that he won't. He is not the type to break promises, not if he has come so far due to a promise he made."

"A promise?" Momoi asked.

Akashi glanced at the clock. It's been barely an hour.

"I was planning to explain this to the rest tomorrow, but I suppose I can tell you now. It's highly likely that Kuroko will not return so fast."

Akashi looked at Momoi, watching the way her eyes shone with curiosity.

"Have a seat, Momoi. This may take a while."


	24. Chapter 24

Kuroko coughed, panting hard.

His breath wheezed through his lungs as sweat slowly trickled down from his forehead.

His legs wobbled, and Kuroko fell back to the ground.

As he sat there, he gazed at the barrier before him. He could see the faintest outline of the barrier, without a single crack.

The power from the barrier was so strong, it felt like it was only highlighting Kuroko's current weakness. He lowered his head, staring at the black cuffs around his wrists. With those on, he could barely draw out enough power to cast multiple spells at once. Anything more than that was absolutely not possible at all.

Akashi was really unreasonable.

Kuroko could not understand what he was thinking.

It was extremely obvious that Kuroko would not be able to break the forest's barrier while he had those restraints on, so why did Akashi still send him to do such a thing?

Kuroko felt restless and frustrated.

Every time he casted a spell, he could feel a tremendous pressure pressing down on him, making it near impossible for him to focus.

The usual urge to fight upon meeting strong opponents was block out by the cuffs. He was alright with it at first, but it started to wear at him. His body was rebelling at the unnatural state it was in.

To be forcefully held back, to be made into something he was not…

It was terribly painful.

There was a voice inside of him, screaming at him to 'free him'. That was most likely the suppressed, bloodthirsty power within him.

It tormented him, clawing at his mind, demanding that he break the things restraining him.

But Kuroko couldn't.

He couldn't even draw out enough power to cast a complex spell.

"…Hah." Kuroko laughed bitterly.

He was so pathetic. With every minute, the pressure on his mind and body grew. He was doing all he could to just hold that malicious part of him at bay. But in return, Kuroko was assaulted with constant pain.

"Won't you settle down already?" Kuroko huffed to himself, "I can't do anything. If you really are a part of me, then you should surely know this."

He received an answer in the form of a stinging throb in his head.

Kuroko hissed in pain, bending his head down and using one hand to cradle it.

A moment passed and then he softly exhaled.

Right now, he was just like a prisoner. He may roam freely, but his every move is restricted. He couldn't leave this place, he couldn't draw out his power.

Kuroko shifted, bringing his hands before him to glare at the black cuffs.

And now, he didn't even have privacy!

With how Akashi said that he could sense their emotions through things like this, Kuroko was not even allowed free rein over his own feelings.

Honestly, being locked up would be better than this.

Kuroko lifted his head to the dark sky.

There were barely any stars today.

A heavy, tired sigh slip past his lips.

"Like this, I won't be able to help Kise-kun." Kuroko murmured.

At first, he had planned to talk to Akashi, to make him release the restraints. But with how Akashi had clearly no intentions to remove them, that method failed even before Kuroko could attempt it. He needed full access to his power to modify such a strong, complicated spell.

Even if Akashi did lift some of the restraints, it was too dangerous to do anything in that state.

After all, this was a spell based on a dragon. A black dragon at that.

It was because Kuroko was created into this inhuman thing by the unicorn that he was able to use such magic. So he did not hate the unicorn. It had saved him, and even gifted him with magic no one else could use. All the hardships he experienced were not because of that unicorn, but because of humans.

Humans… They judge the things around them as they wish, foolishly believing in the lies and gossips without seeking the actual truth.

And Akashi had said that the First Emperor's hypnosis was currently weak. So this was not the result of his hypnosis, but rather, due to the fact that they were human.

The Dark Creatures that tirelessly took care of him for a thousand years had never once ran away from their duty. Sure, there were those that wanted to kill him, but wasn't that because he was human? Humans were the ones who hunted down the Dark Creatures first. That he belong to such a race that was both arrogant and ignorant, it's only natural that Kuroko would be hated by the Dark Creatures.

But humans on the other hand, were very different.

Rather than a valid anger, they hated him for being strange.

They hid him away, because he was an abnormality.

Kuroko did not care that he did not have friends when he was younger, what hurt him was the decision his parents made. He had seen it right before his eyes. When given the choice to choose – between him and his younger brother – a true human and one that only wore the skin of a human being, they had obviously chosen the one that was a true human.

Why is it that Dark Creatures would be willing to protect him for centuries, though there was clearly not a single benefit to gain from it?

Why is it that humans are so different?

Why must their decisions be based on their selfishness?

Really, his parents were one of the best examples of a human's cruelty.

When they were finally able to conceive a child, Kuroko became nothing more than an unneeded burden. He had known it as well, which was why he chose to leave rather than wait for the day he was thrown away.

Because humans would always throw away the things they deemed useless, no matter who or what it may be.

"…How stupid." Kuroko whispered.

He lay back on the ground, never taking his eyes off the dark skies.

"Why is it that though I dislike humans, I can't completely stop myself from caring about them?" Kuroko mumbled, his eyes seeking out the stars in the skies.

"Why does the knowledge of hurting a human beyond recovery terrifies me so?"

"Why does the fact that the First Emperor wants to control those humans disgust me?"

"Could it be because I was raised as a human? Is this the weakness of a human's mindset? …Then, then if I were to destroy the part that makes me human, would it make it easier?"

"Will I be able to? Will I be able to tear away and break that part of myself?"

Kuroko's softly whispered words were carried away by the wind, to a place where they could not be heard.

The wind gently blew against his hair, the cool sensations bringing some form of relaxation to Kuroko.

He couldn't truly relax, but at least, this feeling was pleasant.

He turned, curling up on his side.

The grass brushed against his face, so soft it almost tickled.

He slowly closed his eyes.

Akashi had given him a time limit of two hours, so it was fine if he took some time to rest like this.

Just for a little while.

* * *

x

* * *

Momoi blinked at Akashi's smiling face.

"…Akashi-kun?"

"Hm?"

"…Is there something amusing? You're smiling." Momoi said.

Akashi chuckled.

"Ah. Yes, I am greatly entertained right now. Tetsuya is actually quite interesting."

"Eh?"

"His anger and frustrations are all being conveyed to me in endless waves, though he clearly knows that, it seems like he is not going to bother with trying to hold them back." Akashi informed Momoi, his eyes glinting in the darkness of the room.

Momoi paused, watching the way Akashi smiled like a beast awaiting a targeted prey to fall into his trap.

"…What is he angry about?" Momoi asked cautiously.

"There are many things, I can't tell exactly what they are. But among those, there is also clear anger directed at me. Isn't he amusing?" Akashi chuckled.

Momoi fidgeted. She was not too good at deal with this Akashi.

"You shouldn't tease him too much." She softly murmured.

Akashi's distracted gaze suddenly focused on her, and he raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

Momoi flinched. "It would not be good if he bears too much anger or hate towards you." She hurried to explain. "He might not choose to fight alongside us anymore."

Akashi hummed, "That is what you are concerned about? You don't have to worry. Tetsuya will surely fight with us no matter what he feels. I know this, because _I_ am never wrong."

Momoi fiddled with her shirt, looking away from Akashi.

"I… I see." She hesitantly said.

Akashi turned his head, watching the time tick away.

"It has gotten quite late. You should get going to bed." Akashi quietly spoke up after a minute of silence.

Momoi took the hint, standing up from where she was seated.

She bowed, "Then, I'll be leaving now. Goodnight, Akashi-kun."

Akashi hummed in acknowledgement.

Momoi turned around and quickly left Akashi's room, sneaking a glance at him as she slowly pulled the door close after her.

Akashi was still seated comfortably, but he was as still as a statue.

The moonlight shinning in from the window casted a soft glow around Akashi, illuminating him in the darkness.

His gaze was fixed on the seat opposite him, distracted yet still clearly amused.

And a smirk was playing on his lips.

Momoi silently stepped away from the room, unable to get the image of such a predatory Akashi out of her mind. She knew that Akashi was more of a monster than anything else. He was not even close to the 'God' that the creatures reverently addressed him as.

She could only hope that Kuroko would be alright.

* * *

x

* * *

"You're done, Kuroko?"

"Yes. I'm back, Akashi-kun."

"And? How was it?"

Kuroko silently gazed at Akashi, deciding not to reply. After all, the answer was obvious and Akashi must have surely known about it.

Akashi chuckled.

"Alright. Come and take a seat. I will adjust those seals on you."

Kuroko moved to the chair Akashi directed him to, cautiously sitting down. Akashi stood in front of him.

"Lift your hands."

Kuroko did as ordered, and Akashi held them in a tight grip. He inspected the seals on the black cuffs, and lightly traced the runes there.

Kuroko blinked when Akashi's hands began to glow with a soft red light.

He silently watched as Akashi rested his palm over them, completely covering the seals.

And then he started to chant an incantation.

Kuroko's eyes widened when he heard it. That incantation or whatever it was, was in a language that he could not decipher. It was beautiful yet harsh at the same time, the words rolling off Akashi's tongue like liquid honey.

Kuroko watched, mesmerized as the red glow steadily grew stronger. It was as though Akashi's hands were alight with a fiery flame.

His body suddenly lurched forward, curling in on itself as he let out a cry of pain.

Akashi only held on tighter, ignoring Kuroko's reaction.

Kuroko's body was enveloped by that red light that turned denser by the second. He threw his head back, slamming into the chair's backrest as he struggled against the pain.

"…Hurts…!" Kuroko gasped out.

"Bear with it, Kuroko."

Kuroko clenched his teeth, squeezing his eyes shut. Tears leaked from the corners of his eyes as he barely stopped himself from kicking Akashi away. What was going on? Why did this hurt so much? Just what was Akashi doing? Could he have lied to Kuroko?

"Argh!" Kuroko's eyes snapped open, vaguely registering the heterochromatic eyes that were now watching him.

His body shuddered violently, and started to uncontrollably thrash from side to side.

When the thrashing finally stilled for a moment, Kuroko caught a glimpse of his body. Dark red – nearly black – chains emitting a bloody red aura were wrapped around his body. They were large, thick and heavy, pressing down onto Kuroko. The chains moved, crawling up his body. They crushed him with their strength, causing so much pain that Kuroko thought that they must have surely broken a few bones.

A single chain coiled around his neck, and tightened. Kuroko gasped as pressure was exerted on his neck, not tight enough to suffocate him, but enough to make it difficult to breathe.

Akashi stared at those chains, carefully observing every one of them.

And then he spoke that beautiful foreign language once again.

The chains twitched and reacted, some of them beginning to release their grip around Kuroko. They trembled and shook, then exploded without warning. With each explosion occurring around him, Kuroko noticed that his body felt lighter, and he could feel his suppressed power rushing up.

Ahh, finally… Finally! He could access his power once more.

Kuroko welcomed each burst of released power with great pleasure.

His heartbeat quickened, and his blood bubbled with happiness. His head buzzed with the pleasant sensation of his returning power.

Abruptly, everything stopped.

Kuroko blinked multiple times, clearing his blurred vision.

More, more.

He still had not gained all his power back yet.

Why did it stop?

Kuroko frowned, frustrated. He turned his head, glaring at Akashi.

Akashi was not focused on him, but instead, his entire attention was on the chains around Kuroko.

He hummed thoughtfully, and then nodded his head.

"This looks good. It will be enough." He said.

Kuroko's eyes widened. "No! No, not yet. I still have not –!"

Akashi lifted his hand and lightly double tapped a chain.

Immediately, all the chains that were still wrapped around him constricted painfully.

Kuroko cried out. "Urgh!"

And the forgotten pain from before all rushed back at once.

When the agony slowly started to diminish and Kuroko could focus once more, he blearily gazed at Akashi. His breathing came in wheezing pants and he felt incredibly drained.

"Be grateful, Tetsuya. I've changed my mind and released more of my restrictions than I had first planned to. But this is the furthest I will go. If you want power, then just train and get stronger like this, Tetsuya."

Akashi was watching him with that heterochromatic pair of eyes, and though Kuroko did hear his words, he was too tired to make sense of it now. Even blinking was difficult, for he would unconsciously close his eyes for a longer time than necessary.

Right now, Kuroko only wanted to rest.

Akashi gently covered his eyes with his palm. In an uncharacteristically soft tone, almost like hypnotising him, he murmured these words, "Sleep, Tetsuya."

And Kuroko did.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N:**

 **To eanniemae:** I'm glad you like it! For my readers, I tend to throw in some form of 'pairings' in my stories. So I'm happy that you enjoy it. As for the emperor's identity, I'll give you a hint. The emperor is only innocent when compared to the First Emperor. It doesn't mean that the emperor is completely innocent through and through. Because you see, a ruler cannot be absolutely innocent. There will always be secrets that they hide from others. ;)

* * *

x

* * *

"M-m-midorimacchi…!"

Kise was stuttering just as bad as he was shaking.

"…Kise? Why did you barge into my room at this hour? Seriously, waking me up in such a terrible manner. You need to learn –" Midorima frowned as he ranted at Kise.

Kise impatiently cut him off halfway however, "Midorimacchi!"

"What!" Midorima snapped.

"Just – just now! When I woke up for some water, I saw something terrifying!" Kise trembled as he spoke, hugging himself.

"…" Midorima huffed, exasperated. "What? You're waking me up just because you had a nightmare? Seriously you –"

"That's not it!" Kise cried. "I would rather it be a nightmare instead!"

Midorima growled. "Hurry up and say whatever it is then get out of my room!"

"Midorimacchi! I saw Akashicchi personally carrying Kurokocchi to his room! He carried him like one would a princess!"

Midorima just stared at Kise like he was insane.

Then he exploded.

"I don't care about whatever nonsensical dreams you have! Why did you wake me up just to tell me this!"

"But it's not a dream! I swear, Midorimacchi! I really did see that!"

"Fine then! Even if it's real, I don't care about that!"

"But it's Akashicchi, you know! It's _Akashicchi_ doing such a thing!"

"Akashi can do whatever he wants!" Midorima growled.

He picked up the Kise who was huddled in a corner and promptly threw him out of his room.

"Get out! Don't wake me up in the middle of the night for this kind of thing!"

Midorima slammed the door in Kise's face.

Kise gaped at the door, blinking.

"Wah! Midorimacchi! You don't understand at all! Akashicchi is so cold and scary! He would drag a person by their collars instead of carrying them in such a tender way!"

"Shut up! Go and sleep!"

"You're so mean, Midorimacchi!"

* * *

x

* * *

Kuroko silently followed behind Akashi with a small frown.

It's been three days after Akashi released some of the seals on Kuroko. Kuroko was still trying to get used to the power he had now. It was a lot better than before, but he still felt extremely restricted. The constant screaming in his head to free himself had dulled somewhat, but it was still there.

It was tolerable.

Painful, but tolerable.

However, Kuroko was not happy at all, and he did not bother to hide it.

Akashi must have surely picked up on it, for the little smirks he would send Kuroko's way when their eyes met completely irritated him. Even Kise was unnaturally silent, just staring uneasily at the tension between Kuroko and Akashi.

Five minutes ago, Akashi had summoned Kuroko to his room.

And now Kuroko was trailing behind Akashi as they made their way down two flights of stairs.

Akashi had simply announced that it was time, and then ordered Kuroko to follow after him. It took a while for Kuroko to process that, but he still managed to finally understand what Akashi meant.

They were going to visit the prisoners; Hanamiya Makoto and Hayama Kotarou.

Kuroko was tense, unsure about what he would see when he met them.

The torches along the wall burned with a soft light, bright enough to see the steps, but not enough to chase away the darkness. Kuroko carefully descended the stairs, making sure to keep Akashi within his sight.

They stopped in front of large double doors. Kuroko blinked when he realised that there weren't any handles to open them.

Akashi raised his hand, resting his palm right in the middle of the doors.

A red glow started from underneath his hand, spreading out rapidly the next second. And the surface of the double doors were completely covered with Akashi's magic seal.

"Open." Akashi softly ordered.

The doors creaked open inwards.

Akashi glanced back at the blankly staring Kuroko.

"Don't stand there in a daze. Hurry up and prepare yourself." He said.

Kuroko shifted his eyes to Akashi.

"Prepare myself?" Kuroko asked.

"I can't have you collapsing from seeing the result of what you have done. Strengthen your heart and mind, and bear the consequences of your actions."

Kuroko flinched.

He closed his eyes, taking in deep breaths.

Akashi silently waited for him, and the pressure of that gaze on Kuroko helped to solidify his resolve.

He won't run, he won't break.

He will face it all, and take everything in. So that there will never be a time where he would lose himself like that again.

Kuroko slowly opened up his eyes.

He met Akashi's questioning stare.

"I'm ready."

Akashi nodded.

He turned around, and led the way into the dungeons.

Kuroko followed after him.

* * *

Kuroko stared down at Hanamiya, blinking wordlessly.

Hanamiya was on the bed in the dungeon cell, tightly bound; his hands and legs were tied up with magic chains. His breathing was soft and deep.

"Is he asleep?" Kuroko softly asked.

"He is in a forced sleep. Because his hypnosis is not yet removed, we are not going to take any risks by allowing him to remain awake. As long as his consciousness is forced down, the emperor cannot take control of him." Akashi replied.

"I see. Is it alright if I take him to my dragon?"

"It's fine." Akashi easily gave his consent.

Kuroko carefully observed Hanamiya. Other than the injuries Kuroko had last seen him with, there were some other moderately severe wounds.

"…Was Hanamiya caught up in the fight I had with the other aide of the emperor?" Kuroko asked, turning to look at Akashi.

"Yes. He was badly injured, so Midorima had to use quite a few of his prepared healing charms. Still, Hanamiya was lucky to not have garnered your attention. Perhaps because he was already half-dead from being struck by a falling tree and then falling down a deep crevice."

Kuroko blinked, turning back to take a second look at Hanamiya.

"Shall we move on?" Akashi asked as he began walking further down.

Kuroko hurried after him.

They walked far into the dungeons, stopping before another door. This time, the door was covered with green and red magic symbols. Midorima's and Akashi's magic.

Akashi reached for the handle, slowly twisting it.

"Here. Go on in." Akashi gestured for Kuroko to step ahead of him.

Kuroko did, quietly entering the room.

Three steps in, and he froze.

His eyes widened with horror and he whipped his head to the side, staring at the dark grey walls of the prison cell. He quickly, desperately took calming breaths.

Akashi did not say anything, only quietly standing by the door as he observed Kuroko.

Kuroko slowly, almost tentatively, turned his head back to look at Hayama.

Hayama was nestled into a large web of intertwining red and green magic, his eyes closed as he slept soundly.

One half of his body was covered with painful-looking blisters, with soft green light wrapped around it. With the help of the magic, the wound were – very slowly – healing. But the other half of Hayama's body… His right arm and leg were missing, becoming nothing more than small stumps of flesh.

And his face.

The skin on Hayama's face was red and bubbled, as though the top layer of skin had been burned away. There was no eye on the right side. There wasn't even any eyelid, only a black socket where his eye should have been. Though it was partially covered by Akashi's red magic, the unnatural hole could still be seen clearly.

"…" Kuroko stood frozen stiff, unable to take his eyes off those horrific wounds.

"…Usually, when a person is burned by fire magic, restoring their appearance is easily manageable for strong magicians." Akashi's voice softly came, almost like he was whispering. "But the terrifying strength of your fire magic is something that is impossible for magicians to heal."

"…Even if it's you, Akashi-kun?" Kuroko whispered.

"Yes, even me. I have managed to restore the left side of his body that had become a complete mess of melted flesh, but I cannot save the right side. Midorima said that he took that attack of yours with the right side of his body, it is only natural that it cannot be saved." Akashi answered.

Kuroko lowered his head, staring at the ground.

"Kuroko, your power is something that even I, as a Sleeping God, cannot fully win against." Akashi admitted after a while.

"…What do you mean?"

"Though you have the abilities to use magic of both the Dragons and Unicorns, you are not a pure Dark Creature. From the naturally high affinity with magic that runs in your human blood, and the unicorn blood that also flows in you, a being that should have never been created was born.

"The two very different halves of you had somehow merged together, giving you access to a magic that no one has ever seen before. That is why your magic is strange. Even with all the knowledge I hold, I am still unable to completely understand the way the component elements of your magic works."

Kuroko's hands clenched into fists.

"…" He raised his head once more to look at Hayama.

"Kuroko."

"Yes, Akashi-kun?"

"Do you want to have your dragon break the hypnosis on him as well?"

"…Will you allow me to?"

"Yes. However, once he has regained his own mind, there is a chance that he will not be able to bear with what has happened to him."

Kuroko turned his head back slightly, and asked. "Do you mean he would go crazy?"

Akashi hummed, studying Hayama.

"Perhaps. But I'll forcefully bring him out of that state if I have to. Unlike you, Kuroko, Hayama is an average human. He may be strong, but he is still a pure human, so I can get him out of that crazed state of mind. I want him to make a choice."

Kuroko turned around, fully facing Akashi.

"A choice?"

Akashi nodded.

"A choice whether he wishes to continue living with such a body, or if he would rather die."

He glanced at Kuroko, "When a person realises just how useless they are, they would often run away from it. I do not approve of such behaviour, but this case is special. Because this is not the fault of his weakness, but rather, the fault of an outside influence."

"…So it's my fault?" Kuroko murmured.

"Yes, this is your fault."

Akashi's sharp gaze bore into Kuroko as he said, "A being such as you, is born to bring death and ruin to everything. You indulge in killings, and you play with the lives of others. And eventually, you destroy yourself."

Kuroko lowered his eyes, staring at his feet.

Akashi continued, "Do you understand now? Learning to control that bloodthirsty power of yours is not just for the sake of others. Every time you hurt others, you also damage yourself. So if you do not want to go through anything like this again, then get your power under control, for your own sake."

Kuroko turned his face away, lifting his gaze to look at the broken body of Hayama as he made sure to take in all the horrific injuries.

And slowly, he nodded his head.

"I understand, Akashi-kun."

* * *

x

* * *

"Midorimacchi?"

"What, Kise?"

"What do you think about what Akashicchi said?"

"Regarding the promise Kuroko made with the white dragon within him?"

"Yes."

"I do not mind. If it means that we can have his power on our side during the upcoming fight, I do not care what reasons he has."

"But, what if he manages to fulfil his promise? Won't he leave once he does?"

"…That is his choice. If he wishes to leave, then so be it."

"But…"

"What are you so afraid of, Kise?"

"I really like Kurokocchi, but I'm scared, Midorimacchi. If Kurokocchi no longer has anything to guide him onwards, I am afraid of what will happen to him. What if he ends up losing himself once more?"

"…"

"And… And what if… What if Akashicchi no longer favours Kurokocchi? If Kurokocchi loses himself, and Akashicchi decides to step in to kill him…"

"Kise."

"I can't, Midorimacchi. I can't get rid of these fears."

"You really are troublesome. Don't dwell on the 'what ifs', Kise. It's alright to be unsure, but you should not let that cripple you or you will end up making decisions you will regret."

"…But I… I…"

"Enough now. I am going to go check on Kuroko's training. ...Hurry up and gather yourself if you are coming along."

"…Yes. Wait up, Midorimacchi! I'm going too!"

* * *

Kuroko sighed softly from where he was seated, leaning against the dragon's tail.

He blinked when he thought he heard voices. He slowly pushed himself up and tilted his head as he searched.

"…Oh." Kuroko blinked. "Kise-kun. And Midorima-kun."

Kuroko silently moved from where he was, taking small steps as he waited for Kise and Midorima to approach.

"Kurokocchi! Kurokocchi, where are you? Hey, black dragon! Have you seen Kurokocchi?" Kise shouted once he was near enough.

The dragon lifted its head, staring down at Kise.

But before it could say anything, Kuroko spoke first. "I am here, Kise-kun."

"Uwaah! You scared me! Where were you, Kurokocchi?"

"I was here all along, Kise-kun."

"You're not training, Kuroko?" Midorima asked, pushing up his glasses.

Kuroko shook his head. "For now, I'm taking a little rest. Akashi-kun's barrier is hard to break."

Kise raised an eyebrow. "Eh, Kurokocchi, you didn't know?"

"What do you mean, Kise-kun?"

"The barrier you're trying to break is not exactly Akashicchi's. He has covered the forest behind with two types of barriers, with the first one being on equal strength to the emperor's magic."

Kuroko blinked, staring at Kise's rather serious expression. He slowly turned around, gazing at the forest in the distance. "…Is that so?"

"Well, not telling you is something Akashi would do." Midorima sighed. "Because knowledge can influence how one sees a difficult task."

Kuroko turned back to Midorima.

"Yes, that is true. Now that I know, I have an indescribable urge to destroy it." Kuroko said.

Kise beamed. "You can do it, Kurokocchi! You're really strong, after all!"

Kuroko slightly turned his face away, not replying to that.

"Kuroko."

"Yes, Midorima-kun?"

"A few days ago, Akashi gave you the prisoners, didn't he?"

Kuroko nodded.

"And how is the progress?" Midorima asked.

"It's done." Kuroko lifted his head, meeting the golden eyes of the dragon.

The dragon stood up, and began walking away.

"Eh?" Kise blinked. "Where's it going?" He asked.

"To get the prisoners. My dragon has succeeded in breaking the hypnosis on them without destroying their minds. He was rather happy too, said that it was good training for him." Kuroko answered.

"Did they speak up?" Midorima asked.

Kuroko paused, glancing to the side.

"They did." He faintly replied.

"Was it not good?" Midorima frowned.

Kuroko shook his head.

"No, they did give some very useful information. But…"

"But?"

"For some strange reason, they are unable to maintain their concentration for a long time. They would freeze up in the middle of talking and try to attack without warning."

"Eh…" Kise's eyes narrowed.

Midorima hummed. "It's quite dangerous. Perhaps there is some kind of side effect after having been hypnotised for so long."

Kise froze up, his eyes going wide.

Midorima noticed, and he cleared his throat almost awkwardly. He quickly continued with, "Or perhaps, the emperor has somehow invaded this barrier."

Kise jolted, shaken out of whatever thoughts that had momentarily filled him with fear. He then gasped, "That can't be! Akashicchi's magic is really, really strong!"

Midorima huffed. "We cannot know for sure."

The dragon came back then, two limp bodies dangling from its mouth.

Kise trembled at the sight. The dragon only needed to move its mouth just slightly, and those vicious-looking fangs would pierce through those defenceless bodies. The dragon stopped next to Kuroko, dropping the two bodies almost roughly.

"They are unconscious?" Midorima questioned.

"Yes." Kuroko nodded. "I thought it would be better than letting them throw magic spells around."

"I see." Midorima adjusted his glasses as he inspected the two unconscious men.

"Kise, take them and bring them over to Akashi." Midorima ordered.

"Okay." Kise carefully picked up the both of them, carrying them like potato sacks. He lightly ran back into the house.

Kuroko and Midorima silently watched Kise until he was out of sight.

"Midorima-kun."

"What is it?"

"Earlier, Kise-kun's reaction… Will you tell me the reason?" Kuroko asked.

Midorima stared at Kuroko for a while, and then nodded.

"It's because of Aomine Daiki." He finally said.

"The rebel who got captured?" Kuroko tilted his head.

"Yes."

"…Is Kise-kun scared? Scared that Aomine Daiki will also end up like those two?"

"Yes. Because it's been a little more than a year since he was taken." Midorima sighed.

Kuroko blinked, falling silent.

"Kuroko, you should get back to training yourself as quickly as possible. We do not have much time." Midorima advised as he turned around, already walking away.

"…Yes, I will." Kuroko softly agreed.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N:**

 **To Passerby:** Glad you like it! (:

 **To BabyNightmareLady:** Oh my? Were you perhaps misled by my replies? That won't do. Alright then, since this is most likely my fault, I will say this: Kiyoshi is not the emperor. But he does have a role in the story.

 **To eanniemae:** No worries, I like watching you take your guesses on who the emperor might be. (:

 **To Loucyanna:** (This may be late but) Oh my goodness! Thank you for your praise! I don't think I've ever had my work compared as such! Really, thank you very much. I'm so happy that I don't even know how to express it. I will work harder to bring you and all my readers even better chapters! Thank you!

* * *

x

* * *

The door to Akashi's room burst open, and in the doorway, stood Kuroko.

Akashi smiled upon noticing him.

"Kuroko." Akashi greeted.

"…Did it. I did it." Kuroko panted. "I broke that barrier."

Akashi's eyes narrowed slightly as he smirked.

"Did you now? Well done, Kuroko." He stepped towards Kuroko, reaching for his wrist. He encircled his fingers around the black cuff, bringing it closer to inspect it.

"Looks like you have grown stronger." Akashi commented. "Your strength is impressive, you only took five days to complete the training I have assigned to you. Not to mention, you did it while having your power restricted."

Kuroko twitched. Frowning slightly, he asked, "Is my training over now?"

Akashi released Kuroko's hand, turning around and walking back to his desk.

"The first part of your training is over." He answered.

"First part?" Kuroko questioned.

"Yes. You are stronger now, but you are still weak compared to the emperor. Should the emperor go after you, you won't be able to defend yourself with how you are now."

"But Akashi-kun, isn't the barrier I broke equal to the strength of the emperor's magic? If I can break it, I should be able to hold my own against the emperor."

Akashi leaned back against his desk, watching Kuroko with cold eyes.

"That is only a minuscular part of the emperor's power, Kuroko. The emperor is much, much, stronger than you can imagine."

Kuroko blinked. "…Is he really that strong?"

"Yes."

Kuroko's eyes shifted around the room restlessly, finally settling on Akashi. "Then… Then I would like to train until I am strong enough." He softly requested.

Akashi hummed.

A little smirk dance on his lips and he said, "That is a good answer. Then, Kuroko, no matter how painful or tiring it may be, will you agree to go on with the training?"

Kuroko nodded his head resolutely.

"Good." Akashi smiled as he blinked slowly. Those red eyes were replaced with a pair of cold, heterochromatic ones. The yellow eye flickered, and almost appeared to be glowing. "Come, Tetsuya. The second half of your training is to fight against me."

"…Against you, Akashi-kun?"

"Yes. You don't have to win. Your task is to make me fall, even tripping me is alright. Just once is enough. Use everything you have; your knowledge, power, strength and your life."

Kuroko stared at Akashi, shocked.

Akashi walked past Kuroko, heading for the door.

"Shall we begin, Tetsuya?"

"…Yes, Akashi-kun!"

* * *

"…Um…Eh… Kuro..kocchi?"

"…Kise-kun?"

Kise blinked down at Kuroko, his face filled with concern. "Are you alright, Kurokocchi?"

Kuroko coughed, turning onto his side.

"…I am fine."

Kise raised an eyebrow at Kuroko. Kuroko really did not look fine at all, he was covered with injuries and dirt, even his shirt was already half dyed with dried blood. But the wounds Kuroko has sustained were minor enough that his body could heal them easily, so though Kuroko's current appearance left Kise extremely worried, but seeing the wounds healing before his eyes reassured Kise.

"Here, Kurokocchi, have some water." Kise handed over the large bottle of water.

"Thank you, Kise-kun."

Kuroko gratefully accepted the water, sitting up to drink it down like a starving man.

"It's been three days since you have started training with Akashicchi, right?" Kise asked once Kuroko had lowered the water bottle.

Kuroko nodded.

"You are amazing, Kurokocchi. I would have probably given up after a few hours. Akashicchi is crazy strong."

Kuroko sighed.

"You're right. Akashi-kun is strong indeed. Three days and countless injuries later, I still have not even managed to get a single cut on him. Trying to make him fall is looking to be an impossible task."

Kise lightly scratched his face. "Hm. But Kurokocchi, you are stronger than all of us, you know. I think the only one with any chance of winning against Akashicchi would be you. It might take some time, but I believe in Kurokocchi. You will be able to do it!" Kise beamed at Kuroko.

Kuroko blinked, and then smiled.

"Yes. I, too, would like to win against Akashi-kun." Kuroko admitted.

Kise ruffled Kuroko's hair happily. "You're so cute, Kurokocchi."

Kuroko grunted, smacking Kise's hand away lightly.

Kise seated himself down beside Kuroko. They sat in comfortable silence together, basking in the gentle breeze.

"…Kurokocchi?"

"Yes, Kise-kun?"

"There is something I want to ask you."

"What is it?"

"Akashicchi told us about the promise you made with the white dragon."

"Oh. …I did expect him to do so eventually. Are you upset about that, Kise-kun?"

Kise shook his head.

"No, that's not it. I'm just… I…"

"Kise-kun?"

Kise pulled his legs up, curling into a ball. He lowered his head, burying it between his knees. The words he spoke next were all muffled, but Kuroko was able to understand them.

"Kurokocchi, when you fulfil that promise of yours, what will you do then? Will you leave us all behind and disappear? Will you continue to live on, all alone?"

Kuroko blinked, staring at Kise blankly.

He had never thought of that. Right now, he was only moving forwards due to the white dragon. But once everything was over, then what? What will he do?

Kuroko lifted his hands, looking at the black cuffs around his wrists.

…What will Akashi decide to do? Akashi is a being tasked to eliminate things that cause danger to the world's balance. He had said it before, that right now, the emperor currently has more priority. But once the emperor has fallen, does that mean that Kuroko is next?

Will Akashi come after Kuroko to kill him?

Kuroko frowned.

Slowly, almost hesitantly, he opened his mouth to speak, "Kise-kun. I will not lie to you. I do not know what I will do once everything is over. You are afraid that I will leave, but I do not even know if I will still be allowed to stay."

Kise's head shot up. "Of course you are! You are a part of us now, Kurokocchi!"

Kuroko smiled at Kise, though it was a little sad.

"Kise-kun, I'm sure you have not forgotten about what Akashi-kun symbolises, right?"

Kise paused, blinking.

"…That's… But Akashicchi seems to like you…"

"That does not matter, right? If Akashi-kun decides to get rid of me… No one can stop him."

Kuroko lowered his gaze to the ground. "If it comes to that, I may have a chance. In terms of strength, if I continue to train and grow even stronger, perhaps I may be able to fight against Akashi-kun."

Kuroko chuckled then, a mirthless laugh that had goosebumps rising on Kise's skin. "If we do fight, it will become a fight to our deaths. One of us will die. If I were to die, then Akashi would have completed his objective. But if Akashi-kun were to die, then it is only natural that this rebel group and all its members will come after me. You are all loyal to that man, after all."

"That's not – !"

Kuroko interrupted Kise, continuing on as though he had never spoken, "Or if all of you perish while attempting to stop me, then maybe _that person_ will awaken other Sleeping Gods to erase me. …Or perhaps, my body will have reached its limits and I will self-destruct."

Kuroko fell silent, empty eyes gazing into the distance.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see Kise struggling to find something to say. But it was no use, because Kise knew it very well, that everything Kuroko said could be a future possibility.

Eventually, a tensed and heavy silence descended upon them.

Minutes passed and then Kuroko sighed.

He stood up.

"The sun is setting. It's about time for dinner. Shall we go back in, Kise-kun?" Kuroko asked, with the smallest of smiles.

Kise nodded, immediately jumping up.

"Yes. Let's go together, Kurokocchi."


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N:**

 **To** **Loucyanna:** Haha. It will still take some time before the emperor's identity is revealed, so just hold on a little more. And that novel seems rather interesting, I might check it out sometime. (:

* * *

Kuroko glared at Astaroth.

The dragon returned his glare with a high-pitched growl that sounded too much like laughter. It only served to irritate Kuroko more.

He frowned.

Akashi was an extremely evil leader, that, Kuroko knew now.

As if it wasn't difficult enough to just avoid Akashi's attacks, Akashi just had to rope Kuroko's dragon into this training. Not just any dragon, but a powerful black dragon.

And now it was two against one.

This was unfair.

This was torture disguised as training.

Training against Akashi, Kuroko could truly feel the restrictions of the cuffs on him. His casting speed had slowed significantly, and it was more tiring to use complex spells than ever before. He couldn't even use strong spells without incantations!

Kuroko click his tongue in irritation, dodging an attack from Akashi as he glared down at Astaroth.

Mercilessly, he tossed strong spells at the dragon.

But the dragon only lashed its tail at the incoming spells, easily blocking them.

"…I wonder if I will actually end up dying today." Kuroko muttered to himself. The corners of his lips lifted into a little smile, "It has been a long time since I've experienced that."

When he was younger, he had experienced death so many times due to the black dragon's training. But as he grew up and got stronger, that amount lessened until Kuroko was able to completely avoid dying while going against the black dragon.

Kuroko sighed under his breath.

"Maybe I should just ignore that black lump and concentrate on Akashi-kun." He hummed.

And Kuroko did just that, maintaining a shield around himself as he went for Akashi.

Akashi smirked once he saw what Kuroko's intentions were.

"Well then, Tetsuya. I hope you manage to succeed this time." Akashi said.

"I will do my best." Kuroko replied.

* * *

x

* * *

"Aomine."

"Hm? Oh. It's you, Nijimura."

"What are you doing, huddling against the wall like that?"

"I'm just resting. What are you doing here? If you walk around like this, the emperor's gonna get mad."

"Ah, I've heard that you have been beaten up by the emperor almost every day recently, so I came to visit you."

"…Tch. It's nothing. That man's just been in a bad mood."

"Hm, really. You have it hard, don't you, Aomine? Here, I'll give you a good pat on the head."

"Uwah! Hey! Stop that!"

"Aomine."

"Huh? What?"

"The emperor's spell will be completed very soon."

"…"

"Be cautious, the emperor will likely tighten his hold over you, Aomine."

"It's fine, I can handle him."

"He will use you as a hostage against the rebel group, you know?"

"…I know. But those people are strong. Especially the leader."

"Well, true. As your leader, he is strong indeed. I'm curious as to how powerful the new kid that joined the rebel group is though."

"…Didn't you watch the fight between that kid and Hayama?"

"I did. But what I want to know is the true strength of that kid, not when he was in that crazed state."

"He will most likely come together with the rebel group. You can meet him then."

"Yeah. I will wait for that. But Aomine…"

"What?"

"Kise is going to come and get you back, for sure."

"…"

"Don't make that face. This time, the rebel group will be more prepared to go against the emperor. And I'm sure Kise will be careful."

"…Mm."

"I should get going before the emperor picks up on my presence here."

"…Oi, Nijimura."

"Hm?"

"Don't get caught. If the emperor found out you managed to nullify most of his hypnosis on me..."

"Ah. But it's a pity it only works when you're a considerable distance away from the emperor. Once you're by the emperor's side, the hypnosis returns in full."

"Still, it's enough. At least I won't end up brain damaged from the continuous hypnosis. …You should really be careful since you're walking around like this when you're supposed to be locked up."

"Heh. Worry about yourself instead, Aomine."

* * *

x

* * *

"…Akashi-kun? What is that?" Kuroko stared at the brightly glowing ball floating just above Akashi's hands, from where he was – in the doorway of Akashi's room.

Akashi lifted his head, meeting Kuroko's confused eyes.

"You're here, Kuroko? Good." Akashi smiled and said, "Come closer."

Kuroko slowly stepped into the room, until he was standing right in front of Akashi. He couldn't take his eyes off the glowing ball. It was large, about the size of a rice bowl.

"Can you feel it?" Akashi asked.

Kuroko blinked.

"Do you mean the weird, prickly sensation coming from the thing you're holding?" He questioned.

"Yes. Looks like you can sense it. Not many are able to do so, because it takes a lot of innate power." Akashi replied.

He gestured for Kuroko to lift his hands, and then dropped the glowing ball into Kuroko's palms.

Kuroko hissed, his face twisted with pain. The prickly sensation had immediately covered his entire body, as though dull needles were piercing into his skin. His mind and body rejected the thing he was holding, and Kuroko was barely able to stop himself from throwing the ball to the ground.

Akashi chuckled as he lightly plucked the ball out of Kuroko's hands.

"…What… What is that?" Kuroko gasped.

"This is a soul." Akashi answered.

"A soul?"

"Yes. I thought I should show you how it looks like, because you may need the knowledge."

"Why do you have that soul? Who does it belong to?" Kuroko asked.

"This soul belongs to Hayama Kotarou."

Kuroko's eyes widened.

Akashi's soft voice seemed to echo around the room. "Do you remember when I said that I wanted to let him make his own choice? This," Akashi slowly rotated the glowing ball before Kuroko's face, "is the choice he made."

"…You killed him?" Kuroko breathed out those words, his voice barely audible.

"Yes. He had begged me to do so. He could not accept what he had become, that in order to live on, he would need constant help. He couldn't even stand on his own anymore. And he also said that he didn't want to become a tool in this fight any longer."

Kuroko flinched slightly, staring at the ball.

"So I granted him his wish. As for Hanamiya Makoto, he said that he would rather kill himself than to ever receive help from anyone. With his hypnosis gone, Hanamiya chose to not take sides." Akashi said.

"…Did you release him?"

Akashi shook his head.

"No. It's too early for that. Perhaps once this fight is over, I will let him go. Of course, that is if he manages to survive."

"What do you mean?"

"Kuroko, this fight will be one of the greatest yet. There will surely be countless deaths. The people will have to fight as well, if they still wish to live on. Though I have placed some precautions, but there is no guarantee that everything will turn out smoothly."

Kuroko lowered his head slightly, blinking as he took in what Akashi had said.

"That's all I wanted to tell you today. My apologies for interrupting your training with the dragon, but I would prefer not to bring this soul out of this room."

At that, Kuroko raised his head. He glanced around the room, trying to find magic traces.

Akashi chuckled as he watched Kuroko.

"You have no need to be so fearful. My room is filled with magic spells, but it won't harm you. It's made to contain me."

"To contain you?" Kuroko asked.

"Yes. Because I am like you, a strong and dangerous being. But the difference between us is that I have the ability to keep myself in check."

Akashi nodded his head towards the door. "Go on now. You should get back to training. Become stronger, Kuroko."

Kuroko bowed, "Yes, Akashi-kun."

He turned away from Akashi, quickly leaving the room. As he reached for the door to close it behind him, his eyes strayed to Akashi.

Akashi was quietly staring at the glowing ball, when he suddenly lifted it with his fingers to his lips.

Kuroko's eyes widened and his breathing hitched when he saw how Akashi's jaw practically dislocated in order to swallow down the soul. There was the softest crack of bones as Akashi closed his mouth, his jaw rearranging itself back to normal. He lightly licked his lips, red eyes gleaming as a shiver ran down Kuroko's spine.

The door closed soundlessly, snapping Kuroko out of his shock.

His eyes drifted down to the door knob, where he had somehow still managed to close the door even as his mind was reeling from what he had seen.

He quietly left, almost staggering as he placed one foot in front of the other in a daze. He ended up at his own room.

Kuroko blinked, entering the room to sit heavily on the bed.

The door creaked shut after Kuroko, plunging him into darkness.


	28. Chapter 28

"Concentrate, Kuroko."

Kuroko jolted, blinking wide eyes at Akashi. But it was too late, and the attack from Akashi hit him squarely in the chest.

He stumbled back, coughing.

Blood spilled from his lips and trickled down his chin.

"What were you so distracted by, Kuroko?" Akashi was frowning at him, knitting his eyebrows in disapproval.

"…I'm sorry. I was thinking about some things." Kuroko lifted a hand to his mouth, wiping off the blood.

"Clear your mind and concentrate, Kuroko. You cannot be this distracted in a fight."

"…Yes, I'm sorry."

Kuroko bowed, lowering his eyes.

"We will stop here for today." Akashi announced.

"Yes."

Akashi briskly walked past Kuroko, motioning for Midorima – who was silently observing their training – to follow after him. Midorima said nothing, only pushing up his glasses as he accompanied Akashi back to his room.

Kuroko let himself drop to the ground, letting out a heavy sigh.

While he was at fault for being so distracted, but the cause of it was Akashi.

'Sleeping God', that title bore a regal ring to it, and to be honest, Kuroko really did see Akashi as some kind of god. But after that day, when he accidentally had a glimpse of a side of Akashi he didn't know, that assumption he had was completely shattered.

What he had seen was more grotesque than he had imagined.

Akashi was more like a monster than a 'god'.

But he couldn't say that to his face, and Akashi never once stated that he was an actual god. That was only the title given to beings like Akashi by other creatures.

A bitter smile made its way onto Kuroko's lips.

Then again, Kuroko did not have any right to say that. After all, he too, was a monster.

Sighing, he raised his head to up to the sky.

Blinking slowly, he came to a decision.

Akashi may be something like a monster, but he was still the one tasked with preventing the world from falling into the emperor's hands. So Kuroko will accept him, whatever he may be. Even if it means joining hands with the Devil himself, Kuroko will gladly do so to fulfil his promise.

He brought his head down, resting a hand on his chest.

The white dragon had been silent for so long it was unsettling.

And there was also that matter about giving Kise power.

It was about time he talked to Akashi.

* * *

"Akashi-kun?"

Kuroko lightly knocked on the door, calling out for Akashi.

"Come in."

Kuroko opened the door, stepping into the room quietly. He made sure to carefully shut the door behind him. Akashi was standing in front of his desk, leaning against it casually. Kuroko looked at Akashi, who was staring at him with his eyebrows slightly furrowed in confusion.

"What is it, Kuroko?" Akashi asked.

"Akashi-kun, I have some things I want to ask about." Kuroko slowly started.

Akashi nodded, silently urging Kuroko to continue.

"The white dragon within me has been too quiet. Is she really alright?"

Akashi raised an eyebrow, and then focused on Kuroko. To be more accurate, it was as though he was looking past Kuroko's physical body and inside him.

"The white dragon is exhausted, and her recovery is slow." Akashi informed him.

"Slow? Why is it slow?"

"Because of your contradicting powers suppressing each other's. One is a divine being and the other is one who dwells in darkness. Both existences have never gotten along, and now you carry both in you. To be honest, I am already greatly surprised that you have yet to self-destruct because of the contradictory powers within you."

Kuroko blinked.

Akashi softly hummed to himself, then said, "For now, the white dragon is still alright. But there is a chance that her condition may take a sudden turn for the worse. And when that happens, the dark power you hold will consume her."

Kuroko flinched slightly.

Was that how it was?

By his own power – that he couldn't even control well – the white dragon will perish?

Then…

"Akashi-kun?"

"Hm?"

"Is there any other way to let the dragon safely recover?"

Akashi's eyes narrowed contemplatively. "Hm. There is a way, but are you willingly to give up on the white dragon?"

"What do you mean?"

"There is only one way for the white dragon to recover safely, and that is to remove her from within you."

Kuroko gaped.

"Is that even possible?"

"For me, it is. The white dragon inside you is not exactly an actual being, even if it might seem so. All that is left of her is her soul. And I am made to handle souls. I can bring her out of you and place her into a specially constructed container."

"Will she be harmed?" Kuroko asked.

"No. It's a simple transfer. The one who will be harmed is actually you."

"…Eh?"

Akashi crossed his arms. "As the host of the white dragon, if I were to remove her, you will bear some sort of punishment due to the forceful removal. However, there is a way to counter that."

"…How?"

Akashi motioned to the window. "By using that black dragon of yours. You are tied to the white dragon by their ancient magic, aren't you? I do not know much about their magic, because my method of fighting is different. But the black dragon out there is a matured dragon, with vast knowledge. With the aid of the black dragon, I can remove the white dragon's soul from within you in such a way that you will not be harmed."

"I see." Kuroko murmured. "But, the white dragon is the only one who is able to easily navigate the palace. She is supposed to lead me to where the spell is located at."

"Then I shall create a link." Akashi simply replied.

"A link?"

"By using an ability that all Sleeping Gods have; the Soul's Path. It is a road for lost souls to follow. Normally, it is used to lure souls to be eaten as food, but it has other uses as well. I will place one end of the road on you, so that the white dragon will still be able to locate you."

Kuroko blinked, feeling a little overwhelmed.

"Do you agree to that, Kuroko?" Akashi asked.

Kuroko nodded, "Yes."

"Then I shall do so later. We will have to do this outside, since your dragon cannot fit within the base."

"I understand."

"Is that all, Kuroko?"

Kuroko shook his head.

"Actually, there is one more thing."

"What is it?"

"Akashi-kun, do you think you can remove these cuffs on me? Even a short while is fine."

Akashi's eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"Why?" He asked.

"Kise-kun… I want to help Kise-kun. I have heard that Kise-kun is not able to grow stronger in terms of magic abilities. I have a spell that I can use on Kise-kun to forcefully increase his magic, but because Kise-kun is human, I must first modify the spell. As I am now, I cannot even attempt to create that spell. If there is even a small mistake, it may mean terrible consequences for Kise-kun."

Kuroko determinedly stared into Akash's eyes.

"So I would like to have full access to my power." He requested.

Akashi was silent for a while, considering Kuroko's words.

Eventually, he shook his head.

"Akashi-kun, I –"

"Kuroko." Akashi interrupted.

"…"

"Kuroko, I understand that your intentions are good, but you must know that power is dangerous." Akashi said.

"Of course I know that, Akashi-kun. But I –"

"Kise cannot receive any help from you." Akashi stated. "If he wants to get stronger, then he must do so himself."

"Why… Why do you not want to give Kise-kun power?"

"Because he is too consumed with guilt. Once he receives that power from you, the chances of him becoming reckless is very high. Do you know of Aomine Daiki, Kuroko?"

"…Yes. Midorima-kun has told me."

"Then you should know that the moment Kise realises that the power he received from you is strong enough for him to act alone, he will surely, mindlessly, go to save Aomine. And when that happens, he will either die or be captured by the emperor."

Akashi sighed then. "Even if I keep him locked up in here, we will still need him when the time for the battle comes. For Kise's current state of mind, having a strong power will only cause him to lose himself."

"So, Kuroko," Akashi levelled Kuroko with a fierce stare, "do not do anything unnecessary."

"I…" Kuroko couldn't reply to that.

He lowered his gaze to the floor.

Was it really such a bad thing to do?

Will giving Kise power only harm him?

But he only wanted to do something for Kise…

"If you want to help him, then just fight with all of us, together." Akashi said.

Kuroko lifted his head, staring at Akashi.

"Do you understand? Just because one does not have obvious power, it does not mean that they are weak. And just because someone has power, it does not mean that they are strong." Akashi softly said those words, as though trying to imprint them onto Kuroko.

Kuroko licked his dry lips, and then slowly nodded his head.

"…Yes, I understand."

* * *

x

* * *

Kuroko closed his eyes, taking in deep breathes to relax himself. He lay on his back, face up.

There was movement around him, and the low rumbles of the black dragon could be heard from time to time.

"Kuroko, are you ready?" Akashi asked.

"Yes."

"Whatever happens, do not struggle, alright?"

"Yes."

"I will begin now."

* * *

Kise blinked, eyes wide as he watched the scene before him through the window.

Kuroko was laying on his back, eyes closed. Akashi stood to the side, staring down at Kuroko's motionless body. The massive dragon was seated at Kuroko's feet, its golden eyes taking on an eerie glow as it gazed at Kuroko.

"Midorimacchi, what's going on?" He asked, never taking his eyes off both Kuroko and Akashi who were glowing faintly. The black dragon had some strange magic circles floating around it. Just by looking at them, a sense of dread filled Kise. He was familiar with this sensation; this is the exact feeling he got when faced with extremely strong magic.

Midorima grunted, leaning against the window. "Akashi is performing a soul extraction."

"…Soul extraction?" Kise repeated, confused.

"He said something about how Kuroko wanted the white dragon to recover in a safer environment, so he requested for Akashi to remove the white dragon within him." Midorima explained.

"Is it a dangerous process? Is that why Akashicchi ordered us all not to take a single step outside?"

"I do not know. Perhaps he just does not want any interruptions."

"Hm," Kise hummed.

Midorima narrowed his eyes, adjusting his glasses as he lowly murmured, "I am surprised Akashi allowed Kuroko to remove the white dragon."

Kise turned to Midorima, blinking at him.

Midorima noticed, and he said, "From what I've heard from Akashi, the white dragon's presence helps to keep Kuroko's bloodthirsty power under control. Now that it's going to be removed, Kuroko's power will surely surge forth. …I really do not know what Akashi is planning with this."

"But Kurokocchi still has Akashicchi's seals on him, right? Won't it be fine?"

"…Mm." Midorima only mumbled an acknowledgement to Kise's words, though he didn't look convinced at all.

As both Kuroko and Akashi were enveloped by sudden bright light, Midorima's softly murmured words sent chills down Kise's spine.

"We can only hope that nothing happens."

* * *

.

 **A/N:** Only a couple more chapters left before their brief rest comes to an end. In other words, their final fight is going to start soon. (:


	29. Chapter 29

"Mido-chin."

"What is it, Murasakibara?"

"It's been two hours. Isn't Aka-chin done?"

"He is not. The light around both of them has yet to fade. And the black dragon is eerily still as well."

Murasakibara pouted, slouching into the couch.

"Sacchin told me to tell Aka-chin that she is leaving to visit and protect the human villages. And that everything is ready now."

Midorima and Kise flinched and shot up from their seats.

"Eh? Everything is ready? …Does that mean we are going to head to the palace now?" Kise fired those questions at Murasakibara, leaning over the couch to stare at him.

Murasakibara hummed. "Hm, maybe. Sacchin didn't mention anything about going to the palace. I will wait for Aka-chin's orders." The lazy drawl in his voice contrasted greatly with Kise's agitated state.

"…Is that so." Kise glanced outside the window, at where both Kuroko and Akashi had vanished into a large dome of light. He settled back onto the couch.

"It would be good," he softly said, "if we are finally ready."

Twenty minutes later, the dome of light slowly began to dim.

And then Kuroko and Akashi came into view.

Kise sprang up, but was hesitant about going outside. He wasn't sure if everything was completed, because Akashi had yet to look away from Kuroko's still body. It took a while more before Kise could see Akashi visibly relax. Akashi raised his head then, meeting the eyes of an anticipating Kise. He gestured for Kise to come over.

Kise was flying out the door the next instant, stopping before Akashi. In Akashi's hands was a box of made of light, with a glowing ball contained inside. Kise blinked, then glanced down at Kuroko whose complexion was extremely pale with exhaustion clearly painted across his face.

"Kurokocchi?" Kise softly called.

"Let him rest, Kise." Akashi said. "The process took quite a toll on him. Bring him to his room."

"Okay."

Kise carefully picked up Kuroko, making sure to not move him too much.

"Ah, Akashicchi." Kise called out to Akashi.

Akashi stopped, looking back over his shoulder.

Kise quickly informed him, "Murasakibaracchi has a message to pass on to you. He's in the kitchen now."

Akashi nodded, turning to walk away with large strides.

Kise turned to the black dragon that was watching Kuroko intently, approaching extremely close to sniff him. Kise was still not over his fear of the black dragon. Those massive, vicious fangs and those golden eyes somehow made him very uncomfortable. He felt like a mouse before a lion.

"…Um." He stuttered out, fidgeting nervously.

The dragon's eyes moved from Kuroko to Kise.

Kise flinched, trembling.

"Uh… I… I will be bringing him to his room now…" Kise's voice was tiny and his nervousness clearly showed through.

The dragon moved his head away from Kuroko with a low growl, and actually nodded at Kise.

Kise bowed, dashing away with Kuroko carefully held to his chest.

He thought he could hear something that sounded like laughter coming from the dragon as he left.

* * *

Two days later, Kuroko had recovered well.

He now stood before Kise's room, raising his hand to lightly knock on the door while hiding the items in his other hand behind his back.

The door opened, with Kise blinking in confusion.

"…Eh? Wasn't there someone knocking?" He mumbled to himself.

"Kise-kun."

"Uwah!" Kise jumped up, stumbling back into his room. "Ah… Eh? Kurokocchi?"

Kuroko intruded into Kise's room, shutting the door after him.

"You scared me, Kurokocchi!" Kise whined.

Kuroko did not bother to reply to that, only heading straight for the desk to place down the items he was holding.

"Kurokocchi? Did you need me for something?"

Kuroko turned to face Kise, and then nodded.

"Hm?" Kise smiled then, encouraging Kuroko to speak.

"Kise-kun, I am sorry."

Kise blinked, shocked. "What do you mean? Why are you apologising?"

"When I heard from Midorima-kun about your situation, I had really wanted to help you. But due to certain reasons, I cannot do so. Therefore, I can only think of this way."

"…I don't understand what you're talking about, Kurokocchi."

"Kise-kun, your magic abilities are lacking, right?"

"…Yes, they are. But I'm training hard to make up for that."

"You see, I wanted to use a spell to forcefully increase your magic power." Kuroko averted his gaze as he said that, unable to look at Kise.

"Eh? You can do that?"

Kuroko nodded. "I can, but there would be very dire effects for you if even a little bit of it goes wrong, so I decided on a safer method."

Kuroko wasn't exactly lying, there was truth in what he had said, but he had phrased it in a different way. He won't tell Kise that Akashi had refused to grant him power.

"…Is that so?" Kise softly murmured, watching Kuroko with shining eyes filled with respect. "Kurokocchi, you really are great, aren't you? To think you would even have the ability to do such a thing…"

"…But I couldn't do so for you, Kise-kun. That's why, I'm sorry."

Kise quickly shook his head. "No. You don't have to apologise at all, Kurokocchi. I am so happy that you would even be willing to consider it."

"Kise-kun, here."

Kuroko gestured for Kise to look at the items he had placed onto the desk.

Kise's eyes widened the moment he saw them.

"…Kurokocchi! This is…"

"This is all I can do for you, Kise-kun. Please accept this."

"But aren't these items important to you? Why would you give them to me?"

"To help you." Kuroko answered.

"But… These items… Those black scales and that vial of blood…" Kise carefully, almost reverently, ran his fingertips down the black scales.

"I hope that they will help you, Kise-kun. If you were to crush a scale and swallow it down with the dragon's blood, any fatal injuries will be cured. Even the wounds that are beyond Midorima-kun's healing ability."

"…Beyond his ability? What do you mean?"

"If you were to die, the combination of those items can bring you back to life. Of course, you would need someone to help you with that. However, please note that if your death has passed the third hour, even those items will not be able to bring you back." Kuroko carefully explained.

Kise gasped, staring at Kuroko in pure astonishment.

"Or if you don't want to use it that way, you can also simply drink the blood in this vial. Your strength and magic will increase then. But compared to the spell I had wanted to use for you, this increase in power is very little." Kuroko added.

"Little? Are you joking, Kurokocchi? Midorimacchi's increased power from drinking the blood you gave him back then is so much that he has even said that he couldn't adjust to it!" Kise exclaimed.

Kuroko blinked, tilting his head. "Is that so?" He asked.

Kise was staring at Kuroko like he had two heads.

"Kurokocchi… Sometimes I think that the crazy amount of power you hold has warped your views on what normal strength should be. If… If you said that the amount of increased power Midorimacchi received is 'little', then… then just what exactly were you planning for me?" Kise blinked his wide eyes, cautiously stepping away from Kuroko.

Kuroko took in Kise's reaction silently, feeling a little confused.

"…You would probably be able to go against Murasakibara-kun. Breaking one of the barriers he specialises in would be easily possible with the spell." Kuroko slowly said.

Kise's jaw dropped.

"K-K-Kurokocchi. You… You…"

Kuroko blinked.

"…Do you hate the idea of that, Kise-kun?"

"It's not that I hate it, but isn't it more like it's completely impossible? I cannot even imagine trying to break one of Murasakibaracchi's barriers! He's an Archmage, you know. The highest rank a magician can be given! …I think I'm actually really glad you did not use that spell on me. Such a strong spell, surely there must be very, very bad consequences, right?"

Kuroko dropped his gaze to his feet.

Kise let out a heavy breath. Seems like he was right about that.

Really, sometimes, it felt like Kuroko was a completely different existence. He didn't even seem to comprehend the limits of a human's body.

Kise froze up abruptly, his eyebrows knitting together in a frown.

Wait.

Could the reason Kuroko could not understand such a thing be because he himself does not have any limits? He had said something about that before, back when they were still at the inn. And Kuroko wasn't actually human, after all.

Just a monster wearing the skin of one.

He was like Akashi, who was surely a monster himself.

Those two… Akashi and Kuroko… They were so alike it was unnerving.

Kise uncomfortably scratch his face with a finger, glancing around the room. The scales on the desk caught his attention and he hurried to speak up in the tensed silence between them, "Kurokocchi, if you will allow me to, I will accept the scales and that vial of blood from you."

Kuroko's head shot up, watching Kise with such a look of anticipation that Kise could no longer take his words back.

"Are you sure, Kise-kun?"

"Yes, Kurokocchi."

Kuroko reached for the vial and placed it into Kise's hands. "Earlier, I went to talk with my dragon. He agreed to fill up the vial once more to the brim. And he has also added measurements to the vial so you don't have to worry if you are using too much. Just follow the three longest lines." Kuroko rattled off happily.

"Ahh, I see." Kise blinked and then chuckled. He reached forward, enclosing Kuroko in a tight hug. "Thank you, Kurokocchi! I will be sure to use them wisely."

Kuroko's surprised expression morphed into a gentle smile.

"You're welcome."

* * *

x

* * *

"Kuro-chin, here."

Kuroko turned around, barely catching the stack of white charms Murasakibara tossed at him. As he stared at the charms, it was only now that he realised he had lost the previous stack that Murasakibara had given to him. Just as he was about to raise his head to apologise, he saw something move.

Kuroko blinked, concentrating on the white charms again.

Was it his imagination?

Nothing happened as he continued to observe, but right before he gave up, the magic runes on the charm shifted. It wriggled, changing its form. Kuroko dropped the entire stack of charms.

The loud sound drew attention towards him, and Akashi asked, "What's wrong, Kuroko?"

Kuroko pointed to the charms and simply said, "It moved."

Akashi raised his eyebrows, looking amused.

"Oh, you did not know?" He asked. With a little smile, he explained, "All of Murasakibara's charms are imbued with a little soul, making them all sentient enough to protect the user."

"…Soul? Is Murasakibara-kun placing bits of his soul into these charms?" Kuroko questioned.

"Not really. I use the word 'soul' loosely. To be more precise, those charms are filled with Murasakibara's fierce desire to protect, so strong that it grants them life." Akashi said.

"Oh." Kuroko sighed, reaching down to pick up the charms, dusting it off. He carefully kept it within the folds of his clothes.

He looked down at his smooth palms, where the very familiar scar of a scale had disappeared. Ever since Akashi removed the white dragon, the scar of her scale had vanished together with her. He actually missed it quite a bit.

With a little sigh, he turned around to face the black dragon behind him.

The dragon blinked at him, softly crooning.

Kuroko smiled, rest his head against the dragon's.

He closed his eyes, letting the comforting rumble of the dragon's crooning soothe him.

Akashi had announced that everything was ready earlier that day, causing everyone into burst into a frenzy as they hurried around to prepare to leave for the palace.

Kuroko didn't have much to pack, so he had spent that time outside with his dragon while waiting for everyone else.

"Ready?"

Akashi's voice rang out loud and clear, and a chorus of agreement met his question.

"Yes!"

The only one who did not reply was Kuroko, and Akashi noticed.

"Kuroko?" He asked.

Kuroko lifted his face away from the dragon.

He glanced behind him at where Akashi was waiting for his reply.

"Yes, I'm ready." Kuroko softly answered.

"Good." Akashi stared into the dragon's eyes and said, "Then, I will be leaving all the white dragons at the palace to you, Black Dragon."

The black dragon growled out an affirmation.

One by one, everyone climbed up the dragon to sit on his back. Flying magic usually leaves the user exhausted for a long time, so the dragon had offered to carry them to the palace. He said it was better for them to save as much of their power as they could.

Of course, his offer was gladly accepted.

Kuroko jumped up, seating himself in his usual place; right behind the dragon's massive head. This position placed some distance between Kuroko and the rest who were seated on the dragon's back.

The dragon spread his huge wings.

Shocked exclamations from behind Kuroko caused him to smile as the dragon suddenly took off to the skies.

Akashi raised his hand, creating an opening in his barrier for the dragon. As the dragon shot out of the barrier at lightning speed, the wind pressure forced everyone to duck down and clutch on tightly to the dragon to prevent themselves from falling off.

Kuroko was familiar with the sensation of flying on a dragon, but it had been a little too long since he had last flown. He lightly patted the dragon's head, and the dragon growled happily.

As they flew high up in the sky, Kise called out to Kuroko.

"Kurokocchi!"

Kuroko looked over his shoulder, glancing down at Kise.

"Kise-kun?"

Kise moved, climbing up the dragon's neck. It was a dangerous move, but with Kise so close, he didn't need to shout across the dragon to hold a conversation.

"Say, Kurokocchi. Regarding your training with Akashicchi… Did you ever managed to win against him?" Kise asked.

Kuroko blinked.

And then he said, "No, right until the end, I was not able to win against him."

"…I see. Akashicchi can be quite cruel, right? Even though we are all going to fight what will surely be an extremely difficult battle, Akashicchi still refuses to remove those restraints on you." Kise was almost glaring at the cuffs around Kuroko's wrists.

Kuroko tilted his head slightly, taking in Kise's complicated expression.

He leaned towards Kise and spoke in a hushed tone, as though whispering a great secret, "But I did manage to make him stumble. He didn't fall, but to be able to that while I am still in these restrains, I take it as an accomplishment of sorts."

Kise's head jerked up, his expression brightening at those words.

He beamed at Kuroko. "That's amazing! To be able to do that must mean that you've gotten stronger, Kurokocchi!"

The corners of Kuroko's lips curled up into a little smile.

"Yes, I did."


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N:**

 **To chuyachups:** Aww, thank you! I'm glad you like it~ I'll promise to bring you more chapters! (:

From here on out, it's going to be action, action, and more action!

Enjoy!

* * *

As they steadily approached the palace, Kuroko leaned forward to trace the jewels on the dragon's head.

"Astaroth," he whispered.

 _Yes, Master?_

"Please be careful."

 _Of course, Master._

"Even when you're fighting against the white dragons, be sure to monitor your surroundings. No matter what, please don't ever fall into the emperor's hands." Kuroko almost pleaded with the dragon, his voice trembling.

 _Yes, Master._

"…Promise me?" Kuroko softly begged.

 _I promise, Master._

 _Master too, you have to be careful._

Kuroko smiled.

"Yes."

* * *

They were greeted by the loud roars of the white dragons flying above the palace. And immediately, dozens of spells rained down on them. The black dragon nimbly dodged them, nearly throwing off those seated on his back as he sharply swerved.

The dragon lowered himself close to the ground, but did not land. Everyone jumped off and the dragon flapped his huge wings again, soaring into the skies to engage the white dragon in battle.

Kuroko's eyes followed the black dragon. He was worried. The black dragon was strong indeed, but there were more than ten white dragons in the air. Would the black dragon really be alright? After all, Kuroko doubted that the dragon had much combat experience with other dragons.

"Kuroko. We're going." Akashi's voice drew his attention.

With reluctance, Kuroko finally looked away from the black dragon.

He followed after Akashi who led them into the palace.

As soon as they stepped in, they were greeted with a barrage of flaming arrows and magic spells by the palace mages. Using that opportunity, the Royal Knights charge forward with swords raised and shields protecting their hearts.

Kuroko was suddenly yanked back by his shirt collar, momentarily choking him.

"Kuro-chin. Spacing out is bad." Murasakibara said, towering over Kuroko. His barrier was casted above them, the palace mages' spells dissolving upon contact with it.

"Ah. My apologies, Murasakibara-kun."

"Hn."

Kuroko quickly glanced around, noticing that Kise was swiftly moving between the Royal Knights to take them down. Midorima stood within Murasakibara's barrier, manipulating green strings of magic to stab the mages who were hiding behind the Royal Knights. He was not always successful, but he did manage to interrupt the incantations they were chanting. He even had a little smirk on his face as he attacked.

"Kuroko."

Kuroko turned, meeting a pair of sharp red eyes.

"Akashi-kun."

"We're going in, Kuroko." Akashi ordered.

"Eh?"

"Leave this to the others, we are going to hunt down the emperor. He should be deeper inside the palace."

"Yes, understood."

Kuroko ran beside Akashi, who carefully led him further inside, using the path Kise and Midorima had cleared for them. As they ran, passing by the extravagant palace walls and decorations, Kuroko's head began to throb. Everything around him, from the feeling of the carpet beneath his feet to the tapestries, they were all so familiar. …Yes, he knew this. This exact scenery, he has seen it countless times.

Kuroko remembered.

The memories of the palace the white dragon had sealed away to protect him all came rushing back. There, that statue of a headless goblin. And on the other side, the large painting depicting a group of knights killing a black dragon. Yes, he remembered them all now.

And there, in front, a turn to the left will lead to a hallway of endless rooms.

"…Akashi-kun. Take a turn to the left." Kuroko said, lightly panting.

Akashi glanced at him, and nodded.

They turned left, and Akashi spun around, creating a barrier to stop those that were chasing after them.

"Do you know the way, Kuroko?" Akashi asked.

"Yes, it's still not very clear but I'm starting to remember things."

"Oh?"

"Didn't Kise-kun mention it? I did tell him that when I was young, I played in the palace a lot."

Akashi raised an eyebrow.

"Ah, you're right. I did hear Kise mentioning something like that. It's good then. Since our last attack was a failure, I'm sure the emperor would have changed the layout of the palace."

"But Akashi-kun. That was when I was young. And then I left the city for a long time. I wasn't even anywhere close to the city when you last attacked the emperor. I couldn't even hear any commotion at all."

"Yes, but I am certain that there are also pathways that still remain the same. We were rushed the last time we came here. Unlike you, we didn't have time to seek out hidden doors or pathways." Akashi smirked at Kuroko then, "I'm sure that as a child, you must have chanced upon many things hidden in the palace."

Kuroko blinked.

…That was true.

It was due to his wandering about that he even found the white dragon, after all.

Akashi turned to stare down at the seemingly endless hallway they were in. He shifted his eyes to look at Kuroko. "Well? Do we go all the way to the end now?" He asked.

Kuroko too, turned to face the hallway.

He cocked his head with a little frown.

"No. I don't ever remember going all the way to the end. I think I have tried entering a room somewhere that brought me to the second level."

Akashi hummed.

"I see. Try to remember which one it is, Kuroko. Last time, we simply smashed a window at the higher levels from outside to get in since we couldn't locate the stairs. Of course, that took away the surprise since we made such a big scene. The emperor even came to meet us himself. Haha." Akashi chuckled.

Kuroko twitched, feeling a little chill as he heard Akashi's empty laughter.

He silently nodded, lightly running down the hallway as he tried to remember.

His eyes kept drifting from side to side, quickly studying the identical doors lined along the hallway. He came to a sudden halt before a certain door, so abrupt that even Akashi nearly crashed into him. A little part of Kuroko was filled with glee at seeing the usually composed Akashi in such a clumsy state. Of course, Kuroko made sure nothing showed on his face though.

"This door, I think I may have entered this. It feels familiar." Kuroko said.

Akashi stared at the door, taking a quick glimpse at the doors beside it. …It did not look any different from the other doors, but he would leave this one to Kuroko.

"Let's enter quickly." He said.

Kuroko slowly opened it, cautiously stepping in.

It was completely dark, and there was a strange echo with each step Kuroko took. Akashi entered after him, pausing momentarily.

"Ku –"

Kuroko whipped around and clamped a hand over Akashi's mouth, silencing him.

Akashi blinked, and then reach out to shut the door behind them. Kuroko slowly removed his palm, certain that Akashi would get the hint to remain silent. Neither of them took another step. Kuroko bent down, slipping off his shoes. How painfully familiar this action was. The times he was barefoot, running around the palace was so often that Kuroko would have better luck counting the times he actually kept them on.

Shoes held securely in one hand, Kuroko started walking.

There was the softest sound of footfalls, but it was much better than before. And then, soon enough, another set of footsteps joined his. Akashi too, had removed his shoes.

Kuroko blindly navigated his way into the room, recalling his memories to use as a guide rather than depending on his sight. He did not know why, but there was a constant warning in his head, forbidding his use of fire magic to light his way. Perhaps he had gotten caught here before? Especially after using magic?

Akashi seemed to be following his lead, and did not use magic to light their way either.

Kuroko's progress was slow, each feet carefully placed. Akashi never once interrupted him, but his constant presence behind Kuroko relived him a bit. At least Akashi didn't get impatient, or urge him to walk faster.

Some minutes later, Kuroko froze.

He slowly lifted his leg, feeling around.

There.

He found it, the stairs that led to the second level.

The sound of his footsteps changed as he climbed up, and Kuroko hoped that Akashi could understand what it meant. Well, it was Akashi after all. Soon enough, he too, began to climb.

The stairs were of varying sizes, from wide to barely-there steps. Kuroko had to concentrate hard or else he would have tripped long ago. It took a while before Kuroko finally reached even ground. He continued to step forward, pausing for a moment before he spun to the right.

He reached out his hand, and there it was: the knob of another door. He turned it, using a little force to push the heavy door. He didn't fling it open, deciding to slowly inched it outwards. A crack of light slipped in from the outside, enough to very dimly light the dark room they were in.

Kuroko turned back to look around, and Akashi did too.

The walls of the room was filled with numerous paintings of fully armed knights and mages, with beads of pearls scattered about on the floor. Both Akashi and Kuroko tensed up. He finally knew why there was a constant warning blaring in his head. Those paintings were not ordinary paintings. They were enchanted, created to become 'guards'. They are able to detect life and even leave the paintings to kills intruders.

However, the paintings have a weakness.

When the place they were in is completely dark, the paintings will continue to slumber, rendering them useless. Thus, those beads on the ground were there as a precaution. They were capable of detecting voices. They were more dangerous than the paintings because even in darkness, they are still able to activate. But they only detect 'voices'. They won't attack even when something loudly crashes.

Intruders would immediately light a fire to guide their way, which would result in them behind killed in seconds from the sheer amount of enchanted paintings. And if that didn't manage to erase all the intruders, their frightened screams as their comrades are killed will cause the beautiful pearls to awaken and finish the job.

Truly, this room is made for those within the palace.

Kuroko carefully slipped out of the room, making sure to not let as much light in as possible.

He waited outside for Akashi, slipping on his shoes again as he surveyed his surroundings. It was another hallway, but compared to the first floor, it felt exceedingly grand.

Akashi stepped out, shutting the door softly. He lightly slid his shoes on, chuckling.

Kuroko blinked.

"Is something funny, Akashi-kun?"

"You made a good guide, Kuroko. I would have surely lit up that room in an instant." Akashi said. "And though I will be able to take care of those things easily, I'm sure the emperor would have been notified of my arrival. A commotion taking place somewhere else at this time is not something to overlook."

Akashi smirked. "But even so, the emperor can be so naïve that it really astounds me. I can assure you that the emperor thinks that all of us are still fighting at the entrance. Though I did leave behind some dolls I made to looks like us just in case, but that kind of childish spell will be seen through easily if the emperor just focuses enough."

Akashi turned his head left and right to take in his quiet surroundings.

"With how calm it is, it looks like the emperor has yet to notice."

Kuroko blinked.

"Yes, it seems so." He turned to the left, his eyes set on a large beautiful vase not too far away. Somehow, that vase felt eerily familiar.

"Akashi-kun, that vase there…"

"Hm?"

"That vase, I know it."

"Oh?"

Kuroko ran towards it, stopping right in front of the vase. There were no flowers in the vase, it was just an exquisite artwork sitting against the wall. He crouched down, lightly traced his fingers over the designs as Akashi came up behind him. His hand moved, lips parting unconsciously. A soft chanting, almost like singing, began to spill forth from his lips.

The vase began to glow, and then the wall at the very end shone brightly.

Kuroko never once took his eyes off the vase before him, that song-like incantation still ringing out in the quiet hallway. He did not know why, but he just couldn't stop. The wall at the end began to shine brighter and brighter, and then, slowly, a door revealed itself.

There was a heavy silence as Kuroko was finally allowed to stop chanting.

"…What was that incantation?" Akashi asked softly.

Kuroko took his hand off the vase.

"Actually, I am not too sure myself. But," Kuroko turned to face the door that appeared, "it's probably something the young me created."

"Created?"

"My memories are hazy, but I think that door is something I had created long ago. I cannot remember where it leads to. But seeing as how I went as far as creating this spell, I think there should be something worthwhile behind that door."

Akashi stared at Kuroko, his eyes narrowed.

"Even as a young child, you already had the abilities to 'create'? This is something only highly sensitive human mages are able to do, who are said to appear every five hundred years. Even then, to create one of this scale, those mages will have to dedicate more than half their lives to training. Even I can feel the strong power behind this spell."

Kuroko stood up, dusting off his clothes.

"…I see." He simply murmured.

Akashi smirked then.

"Hm. What a terrifying child you were." He commented.

Kuroko did not reply, only making his way towards the door.

There were no handles on the door, but Kuroko wasn't bothered by that. He lightly rested his hand against the door. There was a loud snap and then cracks started spreading out from under his hand. They covered the entire door, shattering it into pieces. Inside the door, was a black abyss.

Kuroko's body was moving without his consent, like a manipulated puppet.

But this sensation was so familiar.

He was not afraid.

Akashi trailed behind him, looking quite impressed.

They entered the black space, somehow able to walk without falling. Akashi glanced back as the door fixed itself, and then faded away. He didn't say anything, settling his gaze on Kuroko's back.

They walked in silence for a while, until Kuroko stopped.

Akashi followed his lead, slowing to a stop.

The black space they were in suddenly lit up, the light coming from beneath them. In a span of seconds, a glowing pathway appeared under their feet. It branched out to two different roads, where a door waited at each end.

Kuroko's eyebrows furrowed together in a frown.

Akashi moved from behind Kuroko to stand beside him.

Kuroko glanced sideways at Akashi, who was silently taking in the two different paths before them.

"Do you remember what each door leads to?" Akashi spoke up after a moment.

Kuroko shook his head. "No, I do not."

Akashi tilted his head, a soft hum leaving his lips.

"Alright then. We will spilt up here. Pick a door, Kuroko."

Kuroko blinked at Akashi, then turned to face the doors.

"…The left. I will take the left door." He decided.

Akashi nodded.

"Though the palace is large, I'm sure the paths are all connected in some way. We will eventually meet up again." Akashi said.

"Yes." Kuroko agreed.

"Be careful where you tread, Kuroko. It would be quite messy if you were to meet with the emperor unprepared."

Kuroko hummed. "Same goes for you, Akashi-kun."

Akashi stepped forward, walking past Kuroko to the door on the right. Kuroko quietly watched as the door opened by itself, letting Akashi through without any resistance. The door slammed shut after him, and a ringing silence filled the air.

Kuroko turned away, entering the left door.

* * *

x

* * *

Akashi came to a stop, turning his head left and right to take in his surroundings.

Upon leaving that space created by Kuroko, he found himself standing right in front of another door. This door was placed at the furthest corner, where it could only be seen after a sharp turn. Akashi wondered where he was. Was he even still on the second level of the palace? Which part of the building was he in? The east or west?

As he was thinking, there came a distant sound of footsteps. Akashi quickly moved to the wall, peeking out from around the corner.

There was no one there, but the sound of footsteps persisted.

It was better to get rid of potential dangers first, so Akashi stepped out, brazenly walking down the carpeted hallway. He came to a stop about ten metres away, narrowed eyes watching the figure walking along the connected path. It was a male, based on the build and heavy steps.

The man didn't seem to notice him, looking to be in deep thought as he aimlessly walked.

As the man came closer, Akashi could clearly take in his appearance. Short black hair with his fringe parted to the left, and he wore clothes befitting of a royalty. Akashi frowned. This man was not the emperor, neither was he a mere advisor, based on the clothes.

Akashi tilted his head.

If he was not mistaken, the emperor of the current generation did have siblings. Perhaps this man was one of them? Was he also under the First Emperor's hypnosis or was he actively taking part in helping the First Emperor? Akashi did not know which one the man was.

He took slow steps towards the man, sharp eyes watching every move the man made.

When Akashi was barely more than ten steps away, the man finally noticed him. He raised his head, blinking at Akashi. His eyes immediately narrowed in confusion and suspicion.

Both the man and Akashi came to a stop.

"…Who are you? You do not look like one who serves in the palace." The man spoke up first.

"That is because I do not." Akashi replied.

The man frowned.

"Are you an intruder? Did you take this time of chaos to sneak in? What is your aim?" The man fired questions at Akashi, though Akashi didn't sense any bloodthirst from him.

"Well, it is true that I am an intruder." Akashi admitted with a little smirk. "Unfortunately, I will not tell you my plans so easily. After all, I do not know who you are."

The man blinked, studying Akashi with a deep frown.

"You do not know me? You must be from somewhere far, for you to not recognise me." He said, narrowed eyes taking in Akashi's clothes.

"That is not entirely wrong." Akashi said.

The man hummed thoughtfully.

"Alright. I will pretend I did not see you today."

Akashi's eyebrows rose in surprise.

The man seemed amused as he watched Akashi's reaction.

"I do not care for this place much, so you can do whatever you want." He waved his hand at Akashi, turning around to leave.

"Are you sure? Even if I came here to kill the emperor, will you still let me go?" Akashi asked, intrigued by the man before him.

The man turned to face Akashi, silently staring at him.

Eventually, he said, "You want to kill the emperor? You can try it. If you manage to survive even after meeting that man, then I will be glad to introduce myself to you. And if you were to die here, it only means that you are too weak."

Akashi blinked, and then a little smile slowly spread across his face.

"Hm." He hummed.

The man turned back, walking away with quick steps. Not once did he glance behind. Was the man truly so trusting of Akashi? Or was he confident in his strength, enough to willingly expose his back to an enemy?

Akashi didn't move until the man disappeared from his sight.

* * *

Akashi carefully pushed the door open, warily entering the room.

He returned back after that man had left, to the very room he was directed to through Kuroko's door. The room was extremely spacious, with high ceilings. But there was an unnatural darkness, filling the room with an unsettling atmosphere.

He proceeded deeper into the room, his senses on high alert.

Something flickered at a corner of his eyes, and Akashi's head whipped to the side. He did not move an inch, waiting. And then, whatever it was flickered again. He followed the source, coming to a stop before a large gem embedded into the wall. It was rectangular, and its height spanned the entire expanse of the wall from the ceiling to the floor. It glowed rhythmically every now and then, just like a heartbeat.

What was this?

What had Kuroko found while neither he nor Momoi was able to?

Could this be something related to the First Emperor?

Akashi debated on touching it. If it really was connected to the First Emperor, he would surely know if anyone other than himself had approached this gem.

Akashi's eyes shifted to every corner of the wall, trying to find anything out of the ordinary.

Yes, there.

Though it was covered well, but there was a line running down the wall to the right. It appeared to be a hidden door.

The problem was how to enter.

Touching the wall was obviously not possible if he didn't want to alert the First Emperor, and neither was using his powers. There must be a different way to make the door open, perhaps a switch or something.

Akashi clicked his tongue in annoyance.

How troublesome.

He spun around, and proceeded to search the room he was in.


	31. Chapter 31

Kuroko remained as still as a statue, barely even breathing.

He really must have been a terrifying child, as Akashi had said. Kuroko couldn't remember much, but he's starting to feel a little dumbfounded at his younger self. To think that the door to the left would lead him to the one place that Akashi pretty much told him to avoid: the throne room.

He was lucky that the door let him out right behind a curtain located quite far away, where he could hide in the shadows.

There was a short flight of stairs, and above that, an elaborate gold throne rested on a plush red carpet.

Right in front of him, seated on that very throne, was no doubt, the emperor.

Black hair, falling messily over his eyes. There was a smile on his face as he watched something before him, looking entertained. From head to toe, the emperor was clothed in silk robes that were decorated with fanciful embroidery, and even his shoes appeared to be made of silk. A crown adorned with jewels rested his head. Kuroko couldn't tell for sure since the emperor was seated, but he seemed to be tall and had a good build.

Kuroko's eyes swept across the room, noticing that the emperor was alone.

His body tensed up, frowning in suspicion.

Why was the emperor alone? Normally, wouldn't it be that an emperor is surrounded by his advisors? This scene was exceptionally strange, just like a trap.

…Were they caught?

Did the emperor realised that they had sneaked away from the main fight below to come after him?

Kuroko was hesitant to move.

The emperor did not even spare a glance in his direction, as though he really did not know that Kuroko was there. But that may just be a rouse to get Kuroko to lower his guard. And besides, all these years, the white dragon had been protecting him from the First Emperor's hypnosis. If he were to go out and stand before the emperor, surely he would not be able to escape this time.

After all, the emperor had managed to break Akashi's anti-hypnosis spell before.

And he would most likely do it again.

A soundless, soft exhale slipped past his lips.

Really, just what kind of child was he? To be able to enter this throne room, and even creating a door leading straight to it without fear! Just the thought was enough to make Kuroko shudder.

He stayed behind the curtain for what must have been a long five minutes, before a knocking from the other side suddenly came.

"Enter." The emperor said. His voice was smooth and melodious, almost genderless. It reminded Kuroko of the nymph he had met.

The door opened as Kuroko mused, and in stepped a very tall and muscular man. His hair was cut short, a rough style that suited the man and told of his demeanour. He carried with him a large sword.

The emperor looked up from what he was watching, resting his violet eyes on the man.

"What is it, Daiki?" The emperor asked.

Kuroko blinked, eyes widening a little. That name… Could it be? Was this man the one that the emperor enslaved from the rebels? His name was… Aomine Daiki, if Kuroko wasn't wrong.

…Now, what should he do?

Aomine was right in front of him, so should he try to bring him back to his senses? But that would be dangerous right now, with the emperor here.

Aomine bowed low as a respectful greeting. Kuroko noticed the Aomine never once directly looked into the emperor's eyes as he stared to speak.

"I seek permission from Your Majesty to go and join the fight happening below." He said.

The emperor tilted his head.

"You are really slow, aren't you? I thought that you would have asked to go the moment the fighting started."

"I cannot leave Your Majesty alone without a guard."

The emperor blinked.

"Oh? So that means there will be someone else taking over your place? Just who did you find?"

"He came to me and offered to be your guard, Your Majesty. It is your first younger brother."

The emperor snarled.

"Of all people, it had to be that guy?"

"…He came to me. Will you accept, Your Majesty?"

"That guy! He is the worst!" The emperor shouted, his body trembling with anger. "He will forcefully get me to agree, regardless of what I think!"

"…Does that mean you will accept?" Aomine asked again.

The emperor growled.

"Where is he?"

Aomine turned around, but before he could even open his mouth, another figure appeared. A man strolled in, completely relax as he faced the fuming emperor.

"Hey, Older Brother. I'll be making sure that you remain safe while this guard of yours head off the fight, alright?" The man smiled.

"…Kiyoshi Teppei, you…" The emperor spat out.

"Hm?" Kiyoshi hummed.

The emperor shook in his seat with rage, glaring down at Kiyoshi. Kiyoshi did nothing else, only patiently waiting.

"…Fine. Fine. Just get out. Guard me for all I care, but I don't want to see that face of yours!" The emperor finally gave in after being made to endure that smiling, relaxed face for long minutes.

Kiyoshi turned, nodding towards Aomine.

Aomine bowed to both Kiyoshi and the emperor, saying, "I will be leaving now."

He spun around, only to freeze as the emperor called out to him.

"Aomine Daiki."

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

"Fight well, Aomine. As the one who serves me, you are to kill anyone that dares to oppose me. Preferably someone from that nuisance of a rebel group."

"Yes, I understand."

"Even till your death, you must fight for me."

"Yes." Aomine bowed once more, quick steps taking him out of the room.

Kiyoshi stared after him with narrowed eyes. For a moment, he had looked sad as he watched Aomine.

"Then, I'll be outside, Older Brother." Kiyoshi said. "Don't worry, I won't let anyone get past these doors." He turned and left, not bothering to even look at the emperor a second longer.

The emperor glared at his back until the doors quietly closed. There was a low murmuring coming from the emperor that Kuroko had to focus hard on in order to pick up.

"…That damn man. Damn his mental strength. With my hypnosis spell already spread out so much, trying to break into his mind is a pain."

Kuroko blinked, his mouth falling open in shock.

There was someone that the emperor couldn't control? And it was his very own brother? But wait… If that was so, then why did the brother willingly offer to protect the emperor? Surely he must have known that the brother he knew was no longer his brother. Not after the First Emperor had taken hold of him.

Then, does that mean the brother was aiding the emperor?

Kuroko tilted his head, thinking.

"…Tch. At least he does not have the guts to betray me." The emperor suddenly mumbled. He smiled then, a wide grin bordering on insanity. "As long as I have his fiancée, even if he escapes my hypnosis, he will still be bound to me. Really, it's only an arranged marriage. To actually fall for your partner… Hah. What a stupid guy. It only becomes his downfall."

The emperor burst into laughter.

But it ended as abruptly as it started.

He continued to watch the projection before him.

Kuroko frowned a little.

Perhaps it was about time he came out?

Though Akashi did say not to confront the emperor, but just lying low like this was not Kuroko's style. Because sooner or later, he would surely be discovered. If the way Kiyoshi had subtly raised an eyebrow at Kuroko's direction when he was leaving was any indication, Kuroko will be discovered once the emperor grew bored of whatever he was watching.

Kuroko was immensely glad that Kiyoshi had not called him out, even though he knew he was there.

He wondered why he hadn't.

Does that mean that he actually wanted Kuroko to do something?

Was he not allied with the emperor then?

Allowing Kuroko to do as he wished, even if it means that the emperor might be killed?

That a person who was related by blood to the emperor would be willing to go this far… Have they given up on the 'emperor' they knew?

Kuroko's eyes narrowed.

With resolute determination, Kuroko stepped out from where he was.

Every single footstep of his rang out in the silent room, the sound of his distant footsteps steadily becoming clearer and louder as he got closer to the emperor.

He stopped a short distance away from the throne, placing just enough space between him, the stairs, and the emperor.

The emperor blinked, his attention drawn away from the projection before him and onto Kuroko.

"…You. That hair, that face, I remember it." The emperor murmured.

Kuroko remained silent.

"But… There is something strange. Those eyes of yours, I am not familiar with. The silver-eyed brat who dared to mock me, where is he? Are you truly him?"

The emperor frowned at Kuroko's continued silence, and the way he looked just past him, refusing to meet his eyes. So this kid must know about how he would cast his hypnosis through his eyes.

"What is your name?" The emperor asked.

Kuroko smirked then, opening his mouth to say, "You truly obsess over my name, don't you?"

The emperor shot to his feet, glaring down at Kuroko.

"Yes, yes. Those insolent words and that tone… I see now, you are indeed that brat from before."

The emperor blinked, his expression changing in a split second to one of joy.

"You came to me. I knew you would come. I am glad I waited patiently."

Kuroko shifted his eyes to stare at the emperor's chest, glancing elsewhere to avoid accidentally looking into those violet eyes. If he did, Kuroko would surely be caught immediately.

"Now, how should I play with you? You came with extra things on you that you did not have before. And it reeks of a man that I truly hate." The emperor tilted his head, staring at Kuroko. More specifically, staring at his wrists.

Kuroko twitched.

The emperor hummed.

He raised his hand, elegantly waving it.

Under Kuroko's feet, a massive magic circle spanning the entire floor appeared. It glowed a brilliant white, then began to turn into an ominous black.

Kuroko dodged, landing on the horizontal pole that the large curtains were latched onto.

The emperor blinked in surprise, and smirked.

"Oh, you are quite fast, aren't you? Those things on your wrists serve as a restraint, don't they? I was expecting you to be a lot slower and weaker." He said.

Kuroko softly grunted then replied, "I do not believe that I am so weak to be looked down upon even in my current state."

The emperor grinned. "That arrogance of yours really makes me want to break you."

The emperor flicked his wrist, sending strong spells at Kuroko. Kuroko managed to successfully avoid all but one. The attack sent him falling to the ground, quite a distance away from the emperor. But though he was nowhere near the emperor, the magic circle on the floor was waiting for him.

Magic burst from it and pinned Kuroko down.

Kuroko struggled to escape the magic bindings as the emperor slowly began to make his way closer. Each footstep of his rang out with a sinister echo. Kuroko's eyes widened slightly as he watched the emperor descend the stairs leading to his throne.

He thrashed around, focusing hard on finding any opening that he could use to free himself.

The moment the emperor took the final step down to make contact with the massive magic circle on the ground, Kuroko's body jerked as the magic power holding him down suddenly spiked.

It was at that instant that the white charms from Murasakibara lit up. They slipped out of the folds of his attire, where he had carefully stored them in an inner pocket near his chest. They separated themselves and spread out before Kuroko, dissolving the magic that held him down.

Immediately taking that opportunity, Kuroko jumped away from the magic circle on the ground. The white charms flashed blindingly bright for a moment, allowing him to move unnoticed. But that light was abruptly cut off as the emperor slashed a sword made of magic right through every single charm, tearing them apart.

Kuroko hissed under his breath, watching the charms burn as they fell onto the magic circle below him.

The emperor lifted his head, staring at Kuroko who absolutely made sure to not meet his eyes. He threw his sword at Kuroko, splitting the sword into two as it approached. Kuroko frowned, firing strong spells to dissolve the magic swords.

"Wow. You did well." The emperor commented. "Seems like you still have quite a bit of power in you."

Without warning, Kuroko ended up in a fight of magic strength with the emperor.

The emperor was testing Kuroko, each spell that came his way was stronger than the last. What he could avoid, he cautiously did. He was not stupid enough to fight spell for spell; that would only tire him out.

Their fight went on for quite some time, with the throne room being steadily destroyed.

It would be a lie to say that Kuroko wasn't exhausted, but the mad grin that only grew larger on the emperor's face made him refuse to give in. A burst of wind magic tore through the curtain he was clinging on, followed by dozens of spells. Kuroko desperately dodged, feeling extremely frustrated about his lack of abilities due to the cuffs on him.

This was only going to cause him to be defeated by the emperor.

He flinched, barely moving out of the way in time as spells were fired at him.

Annoyed, he clicked his tongue, trying to think of a way to at least stop the emperor momentarily.

"You seem distracted, rebel kid!" The emperor shouted, laughing with joy.

Kuroko gritted his teeth and a low growl left his lips.

A slip of his foot and suddenly, he was sent crashing straight down onto the awaiting magic circle below.

He gasped, scrambling to his feet. He made to quickly jump out of the spell, only to find another spell waiting for him right above his head. He was slammed into the magic circle above, held there by a force so strong Kuroko could hear his bones creaking in protest.

The spell moved, bringing him towards the emperor. His horizontal body was righted until he floated parallel to the man.

Against his will, his head forcefully snapped up.

The shock of the sharp movement had his eyes widening as he gasped.

And it was too late.

Violet eyes bore into his blue ones, and he could feel something within him breaking.

The emperor grinned at him, just like a child who was given a desired present.

He spoke in his smooth voice, not too slow and not too fast, the words rolling off his tongue with a rhythm.

"You gave me an interesting fight even with that current condition of yours. It would be good to use you. But because you are useless like this, I will free you."

A piercing pain erupted within Kuroko's head, and he found himself crying out uncontrollably. His hands curled into fists of their own accord, stabbing pain travelling up his arms as he barely registered the faint sound of something shattering.

The restraints around his wrists fell off, and an immense amount of power rushed to fill him up.

Kuroko's wide eyes were blind to his surroundings, unable to see anything.

All he saw was a deep darkness that dragged him under.

* * *

x

* * *

…

…

…Where am I?

I can't see anything.

Is anybody there?

I… How did I get here?

Where is this?

I don't like it, this darkness around me.

"Don't be afraid."

A voice! Where is it from? Where? Where?

Ah.

There.

Were you the one who spoke to me?

"Yes."

I can't see you clearly. Will you come closer?

"You don't need to look at me. Don't you already know who I am?"

What are you talking about?

"I am you. Kuroko Tetsuya, I am you."

…What?

"I am you."

This shadowed figure before me… is me?

What is that supposed to mean? If that is me, then what am I?

"You know me. It is because of me that you have managed to live this long, isn't it? If not for me, you would have died long ago."

…Life.

…Death.

…Because of you?

Could it be? Are you my 'power'?

"I am you. We are always, always together. I am you, and you are me. We are only one."

Then why are you here as a separate being?

Why are you not in me?

"I am in you. This place, this darkness, is all within you."

Within me?

"Yes. I have a physical form because you reject me. You acknowledge me, but at the same time, you reject me. So 'I' became a separate person."

Reject… No. I have never rejected you.

"Lies. You reject me."

No.

"You reject me."

No, I do not.

"You force me down, you fear me. You reject me."

No… No, I don't. I…

"You, you are weak. Your fear cripples you. You don't try to understand me. You push me away, you form a barrier to protect yourself from me."

No! I…

"Weak. You are weak."

That's not it…

That's not it. I just… My power: you. You are dangerous so I have to be careful…

"Weak, weak. You reject me."

No.

No.

 _No._

"…No? You don't reject me?"

I don't!

"…Then come."

What do you mean?

"Come here. Come."

But how? I don't have a body… I can't even feel anything.

"Come."

How can I go there? Tell me.

"Come to me."

…I have to move somehow. But I don't have a body.

Move, move.

Somehow, I must move.

…Yes! That's it! I'm moving!

"Come. I will aid you, I will protect you. Come."

Closer, closer.

Have to go closer.

Ah, I can see now. That familiar pair of eyes… It is me. Just that those eyes watching me are silver, rather than blue.

Alright. I'm almost there, just a little more.

"I will destroy everything for you."

…What?

"Because it only brings pain, so I will destroy everything."

…Destroy?

Just what will you destroy?

"Everything, I will destroy everything."

…

…

"Break. Shatter. Rupture. Severance. I want to destroy."

…

…No, you can't.

"I want to. I want to. I want to destroy."

You can't do that.

"You are me. I am you. _You_ want to destroy."

No, I don't want to do anything like that.

"Destroy, destroy."

No.

"Destroy everything."

No.

"You wish for it. You are me. To break, to destroy. You want it."

No…

"You want it. You want to."

No… No…

"You want to, you want to. You who are me, you wish to destroy everything."

No…!

"…Reject. Do you reject me?"

That's not...

"You reject me. Weak. You fear me. Weak. You deny yourself."

That's not it! I don't want to destroy, but I'm not rejecting you because of that!

"…Come. Come here. I will protect you."

…What?

"I will protect your weak self. Come. Hurry, hurry, come."

If I go there, what will you do?

"Come, come to me. I will take on everything for you. You who are so, so weak, I will destroy for you."

Like I said, I don't – !

"Come to me, or I will go to you."

…

…

"You will not come?"

"You're not going to come to me?"

"Then I will go to you."

…No! Stay away!

Stop!

"I will protect you, I will destroy everything for you. Yes, including yourself!"


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N:**

 **To BerryBliss:** Aww! Thank you for your sweet words! They made me really happy~ :D

I had lots of fun writing this chapter! *evil giggles*

Please enjoy.

* * *

Akashi jolted, whipping around.

His seals on Kuroko had been broken.

How did that happen? There shouldn't be anyone capable of breaking those cuffs, except for one: The Emperor.

Akashi frowned, immediately making his way to the door. He ignored the embedded gem; that was not important now. The one that clearly needed his attention was Kuroko.

Had Kuroko come into contact with the emperor?

How?

Akashi followed the direction from where he had felt his seals breaking, running fast but cautiously.

He entered twisting hallways over and over, and came to an abrupt halt when something flashed by him. There was someone running ahead of him; broad back, tanned skin, dark blue hair.

Akashi recognised the man.

Aomine Daiki.

…Should he go after Aomine or run to Kuroko's side?

Kuroko would be highly dangerous once the seals were released, he might even end up killing the emperor. But the emperor wasn't weak. It would take quite a bit of fighting before either one of them overpowered each other.

Enough time for Akashi to go after Aomine and then head back.

Decision made, Akashi trailed behind Aomine, making sure that he wasn't discovered.

They ran down a flight of stairs, taking a different route from the one Kuroko had used. It was much safer, but with that route, there was no way to hide their movements at all. Everything could be seen clearly. They passed a bunch of different hallways, all devoid of people because everyone was preoccupied with the fight at the entrance of the palace.

And seeing how the emperor must surely be preoccupied by Kuroko right now, Akashi's presence would remain undetected by the emperor's powers that were spread all over the palace.

Perhaps it was a good thing that Aomine was under the emperor's hypnosis, because he was completely blind to Akashi's presence not too far away from him.

Akashi internally sighed. The usual Aomine Daiki would have long noticed him, especially since he wasn't trying too hard to hide himself. They emerged on the ground floor where the fight with the rest of the rebel group members were still ongoing.

Akashi came to a stop as he caught sight of Kise swiftly swinging his sword to cut down his opponents. It wasn't deep enough to kill them, just to incapacitate. To make their plan work, they had to cause as little damage as possible after all.

Which was why the rebel group members were struggling.

The opponents came with intentions to kill, but the rebel group could only injure them without killing.

Aomine dashed into the fight, drawing his sword.

It didn't take long at all before he was face-to-face with Kise.

Akashi hummed, watching the fight between the both of them.

A moment or two passed, when a thought came to him.

Maybe he should leave Aomine to Kise. That way, Kise's guilt would lessen if he succeeded in freeing Aomine.

Nodding to himself, Akashi turned away.

He created a paper charm and a bird made of his magic. Sending them both towards Kise, Akashi only left the place when he saw the paper charm slipping into Kise's clothes. It was a strong anti-hypnosis charm, and the bird he had sent would inform Kise about how to use it.

Going back the way he came, Akashi sighed as he reached the second floor once more.

Now then, time to head to Kuroko's side.

* * *

x

* * *

Kise froze the moment he laid eyes on the person before him.

Aomine Daiki.

He came.

Aomine came.

"…Aominecchi." Kise whispered brokenly.

Aomine only looked at him with cold eyes, clearly unable to recognise Kise. He must be under the emperor's spell. Aomine's sword headed straight for Kise's heart, and he would have succeeded if not for Murasakibara interfering.

The sword collided harshly with Murasakibara's barrier.

"Kise-chin. Don't space out."

"Sorry, Murasakibaracchi. Thanks."

"That person… Is that Mine-chin?"

Kise smiled, tears welling up in his eyes. "Yeah, it's him."

Murasakibara hummed.

"What do you want to do, Kise-chin?"

"Please, leave him to me. I want to be the one to help Aominecchi."

"Okay. Don't die, Kise-chin."

"Yeah."

Kise focused on Aomine, who was frowning as he attacked Murasakibara's barrier with strong blows.

"I'm taking down the barrier, Kise-chin."

Kise adjusted his hold on the sword, a determined expression on his face. He crouched slightly, preparing himself.

"Okay."

The moment the barrier disappeared, Kise rushed forward and met Aomine's heavy blows with his own sword. Each impact shook his arms, but he didn't give up. Instead, a little smile formed on his lips.

"As always, you're as strong as ever, Aominecchi."

Aomine didn't seem to hear him, only blindly continuing to attack.

Many times, Kise was pushed back, arms aching as he took Aomine's blows.

As reluctant as he was to injure Aomine, he needed to do so in order to help him.

"Sorry, Aominecchi. But I have to do this." Kise grunted as he took another attack, twisting his body to the side. The moment he was out of Aomine's range, Kise thrust his sword into Aomine's side. The blade cut into his side, causing a line of blood to trickle forth from the wound.

Aomine staggered, but didn't stop.

Over and over, they fought viciously. The number of wounds on Kise kept increasing, but no matter what, he wouldn't give in. There was no way he was going to lose to _this_ Aomine. He refused to.

Losing to a controlled Aomine would shatter Kise's pride into pieces.

As he was dodging halfway, he felt something slip into his clothes.

His eyes widened with shock, quickly using his left hand to pat on top of his clothes.

What was that?

Something just…

The sound of wings above him had him raising his head, staring into a little red bird.

A bird?

In here? Among this chaos?

The bird flew around Kise's head, and then a voice that Kise knew very well resounded in his ears.

 _Kise._

…Akashicchi?

"Eh?" Kise gasped, turning around and using the back of his sword to hit Aomine squarely in the chest.

 _Kise, I have slipped a little charm into your possession. Use that to remove the emperor's spell on Aomine._

"How do I do that?" Kise grunted, clicking his tongue as he jumped away from the sword coming straight at him.

 _Press the charm onto Aomine's forehead, faced down. The words on the spell will sink into his mind and shatter the emperor's hypnosis. But in order to do so, you will have to get close to him. Don't be careless and end up getting killed, Kise. I will leave Aomine to you._

Kise grinned. "Thanks, Akashicchi."

The red bird exploded, little flames burning holes into the carpet.

Kise narrowed his eyes, studying the controlled Aomine before him.

"I have to get close, huh? This is going to be difficult."

Kise ran towards Aomine, veering left at the last moment to strike a blow to Aomine's temple. But Aomine's reflexes were not to be underestimated, bending his body backwards so fast that Kise's attack brushed by his cheek instead.

"Damn it, Aominecchi. You should have just stayed still." Kise grumbled, jumping away from Aomine.

A blow to the arm, a hit to the chest.

Aomine's successive attacks all landed on Kise with frightening accuracy. At this rate, Kise's body wouldn't hold out long enough for him to attempt to stick Akashi's paper charm onto Aomine. No choice then.

"Aomine, sorry. From this moment now, I will seriously attack you." Kise gave a warning to Aomine, regardless if he could hear it or not.

Kise charged towards him, sword raised to chest level.

Aomine avoided him easily, but Kise was not done. He whipped around, flipping his sword to slash at Aomine's thigh. It succeeded, making Aomine stumble. Taking the opportunity, Kise continued on, bringing his sword down on Aomine's chest.

Blood sprayed out from the wound, soaking Kise's clothes.

Aomine staggered, but didn't fall. He lifted his head to growl as Kise, snarling like a mindless beast.

He snapped.

Kise cried out in shock as Aomine relentlessly came after him. That wound would have been enough to send anyone to their knees, but Aomine pushed on as though he couldn't feel the pain. Kise could only desperately block the attacks coming at him, trying to find an opening to place some distance between them.

He bore countless cuts on his arms, the blood sliding down to his hands, causing him to tighten his grip around the sword to prevent it from slipping out due to the blood coating the hilt. Aomine's attack pattern changed suddenly, bringing his sword down to slash at Kise's ankles.

Kise stumbled back, his movements hindered by the injury and he crashed to the ground, hissing in pain. Aomine towered over him, his sword raised high. He was about to cleanly slice Kise's head off.

Instinct took over, and Kise lurched for his fallen sword.

He didn't have time, a second too late and he would really die.

He threw his sword behind him, unable to take a clear aim.

The sharp blade of Aomine's sword buried itself into the arm that he had raised to protect himself. It went so deep – even tearing right through the bone – causing Kise's cleanly broken arm to hang onto his body only by a thin strip of muscle and skin. Part of the blade had broken off, leaving the hilt to clatter onto the ground, stained with deep red blood. With wide eyes, Kise stared at his arm. And then the pain registered.

He screamed.

Cradling his arm as he curled into a ball, the pain racked his body and mind, making it impossible to concentrate on anything else. And then he suddenly coughed, blood spilling past his lips as he was pierced in the stomach by a spear.

His screams had drawn the enemies' attention, and they immediately took advantage of the weakened Kise.

"Kise-chin!"

"Kise!"

The surroundings around Kise exploded with beautiful green and purple lights; Murasakibara and Midorima.

"Kise!" Midorima was kneeling by his side, his face filled with horror was he stared at the arm that had the blade somehow still embedded in it.

"I'm going to heal you now. Bear with the pain for a while." Midorima quickly hissed, his eyes narrowed with concentration.

But Kise weakly shook his head.

"Kise?" Midorima blinked, shocked.

"Aominecchi… Where is he?" Kise panted, eyes desperately trying to find that familiar figure within all the chaos around him.

"Aomine was here? You were fighting against him?" Midorima looked conflicted, unable to tear his eyes away from Kise's severe injury even though he wanted to turn around and search for Aomine. With a shake of his head, Midorima snapped himself out of it.

"Damn it. For now, just pay more attention to your own injuries!" Midorima growled.

He reached out, using his magic to snap off most of the spear protruding from Kise's body, not pulling it out yet. As for the blade, it had slipped out and fallen to the ground on its own. Midorima administered emergency treatment, stopping the overflowing blood from the wounds, focusing more on Kise's arm.

Kise's sudden shout startled him, causing his magic to become disrupted. His magic faded away, but at least, he had managed to successfully stop the bleeding.

"…He's there! Midorimacchi! Over there!" Kise struggled to sit up, only to have Midorima force him down again.

"Stop moving! You will aggravate your injury!"

"But Aominecchi!"

"No! I won't allow you to move!"

"Mido – " Kise's words were cut off suddenly, as his eyes grew wide.

Midorima finally turned around, immediately freezing in place as he noticed what Kise was looking at.

Aomine was staggering towards them, Kise's sword thrusted deeply into his chest.

He moved as though he was unaware of his body's condition, even as blood flowed down his chest and onto the ground in startling amounts. His dark blue eyes were dull, unseeing.

He never made it to where Kise was, falling over and becoming deadly still.

"…No. No, Aominecchi! No, no, no." Kise pushed Midorima away with his good hand, crawling, dragging, his body over to where Aomine had fallen.

He cradled Aomine's body the best he could, trying to flip him onto his back.

"No… This isn't… It can't be. Aominecchi? Aominecchi, please respond to me. This… This is my fault… Yes, it's my fault. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Aominecchi. So please, you can't… You can't die. Please… Please respond to me Aominecchi. Anything is fine. You can hate me for doing this to you, you can curse me. I'll take anything, so long as I know that you're still here… That you're still alive. Aominecchi…"

Desperately, desperately, Kise begged for Aomine to respond.

But no matter how he much he tried, Aomine never moved.

Burning hot tears tracked down Kise's face, but he wasn't aware of them. He lowered his head, hand clenching into a fist. His body was half-bowed over Aomine's, as though he was trying to shield him, to hide him away.

"Please… Please, Aominecchi." He whispered, anguished pleas falling from his lips over and over again.

He didn't even notice that Midorima and Murasakibara had rushed to his side, with Murasakibara's strongest shield surrounding all of them.

But he did notice the hand that was closing around the sword in Aomine's chest.

"What are you doing?" Kise suddenly snarled, malicious eyes glaring at Midorima. "Let go of him."

Midorima flinched, stunned by Kise's behaviour. But he recovered fast, snapping back at Kise, "I'm taking the sword out to heal him."

"Don't touch him." Kise growled, his eyes taking on a strange cloudiness.

"Don't be ridiculous. Stop wasting precious time and let me remove that sword so I can heal him!"

"No."

Midorima was stumped.

What was wrong with Kise?

Why did he suddenly turned like this?

And those eyes… It was the look of someone who had lost their rationality, shutting down their minds so that they wouldn't have to think, wouldn't have to deal with whatever was causing them grief.

It was concerning, but still, Aomine was of higher priority now. He required immediate medical attention.

"Enough, Kise." Midorima shoved Kise to the side, tightening his hold onto the sword. He managed to pull it out about an inch before he was slammed away.

Kise stood over him, yellow magic circles taking form above his head.

"Kise-chin! Stop that!"

Murasakibara lifted his hand, dispelling the magic around Kise. Cancelling the opponent's spells was an extremely difficult feat, only rarely would there be a mage who was capable of it. But since Kise was never too good at controlling magic, Murasakibara was able to cancel out those spells even though it wasn't his field of expertise.

"Hold him down, Murasakibara." Midorima commanded, slipping past Kise and running to Aomine's side.

Kise snarled angrily, once again attempting to use magic.

Murasakibara frowned, dispelling the magic circles again.

Seriously. This was proving to be a very messy situation. They had enemies outside the barrier who were trying to get to them, and now they had to deal with a crazed idiot _within_ the barrier. And it was not like he could toss Kise outside with the rest. If he did, Kise would either be killed, or he would kill everyone out there.

Which would mean that Akashi's plans would be completely destroyed.

He did consider creating a barrier around Kise, but with how he wasn't in his right mind, there was a high chance that Kise would recklessly use magic when he found himself trapped which would then result in an attempt of suicide. Murasakibara was not about to take that risk.

"How troublesome." He grumbled, holding back Kise while maintaining the barrier the best he could.

Midorima had successfully removed the sword from Aomine's chest, and was now flooding it with his healing magic. The wound was slowly closing, but Aomine's heart…

His heart wasn't beating.

Midorima tried over and over, calling upon all his knowledge on healing to get Aomine's heart to start beating. But none of them worked. The injury was too severe. His power was rapidly running out at this rate.

Even with the extra power he received from drinking the dragon's blood, he still couldn't heal an injury this bad. The sword had cleanly stabbed through the heart and pierced through the back.

"Is it really not enough?" Midorima murmured, his hands curling into fists.

Perhaps Aomine had actually died when sword had stabbed his heart, but had somehow still managed to continue moving for a short time under the emperor's strong hypnosis.

Midorima didn't have the power to bring back the dead.

"Damn…!"

"Mido-chin? Are you done? I don't think I can keep this up for long." Murasakibara called back towards Midorima.

"…Can't…"

"Mido-chin?"

"…I can't heal him…"

"…Eh?"

"He may have died even before we got to him… I can't do anything now." Midorima lowered his head, staring at his hands.

Murasakibara blinked at Midorima, eyes going wide with shock. His barrier wavered for a moment, causing him to receive a thin cut along his arm from a sword of the enemy. But it shook him out of his momentary daze, allowing him to focus his mind and strengthen his barrier again.

He thought hard, trying to desperately think of anything to help Midorima now.

Aomine was dead?

Midorima couldn't revive him?

…Revive?

Murasakibara frowned deeply, eyes narrowed.

He whipped around, facing Kise once again.

Kise was panting hard, his wounds and those constant attempts to draw forth strong magic over and over, steadily drove him to exhaustion.

It gave Murasakibara some respite.

His eyes quickly travelled over Kise's clothes, searching.

There.

A little bundle secured tightly to his belt.

"Mido-chin." Murasakibara glanced over at Midorima.

Midorima raised his head, his listless eyes blinking back at Murasakibara.

"Mido-chin. There is a way to save Mine-chin."

Midorima gazed blankly at him, but then his eyes widened as he registered what Murasakibara said. Life returned with full force into Midorima's previously dull eyes.

"How?" Midorima asked.

"I overheard it when I was walking past Kise-chin's room. Kise-chin was being loud, so I went to take a look, and found Kuro-chin was talking to Kise-chin in there." Murasakibara said, turning away as his eyes focused on Kise.

"That little bag at Kise-chin's waist, can you get it?"

Midorima's eyes shifted to the bleeding Kise, gaze trailing down to his waist. He nodded.

With Murasakibara on alert, Midorima dashed towards Kise, sweeping past his left side. Forming a tiny green blade out of magic, Midorima sliced the bag from Kise's belt. He returned back to Aomine's side the next second, just in time for Murasakibara to dispel another round of magic from Kise.

"What do I do with this?" Midorima asked, opening up the bag.

Two black scales and a vial of blood tumbled out.

"I heard Kuro-chin mentioned something about mixing those two together to heal fatal injuries. Do you think you can try it, Mido-chin?"

Midorima stared at the items before him with wide eyes, and nodded. "I can."

Mixing them together…

Then what?

How is the mixture used? From on the outside or is it made to be swallowed?

Frowning, Midorima decided to take a chance.

He created a little bowl and pestle with magic, placing one of the dragon's incredibly hard scale inside. After pounding it into powder, he lifted the vial of blood.

…There were lines on the vial.

Midorima felt immensely grateful to Kuroko at that moment, because this was surely his work.

Midorima did not have to worry about the measurements now.

Following the lines of the vial, he poured out one portion worth. Giving the mixture a stir, Midorima gasped as the powder dissolved and the blood began to shimmer, leaving behind a gleaming pool of liquid that looked nothing like blood. He lifted Aomine's head, and carefully poured the mixture into his mouth.

Once he was sure that Aomine had swallowed everything, he dispelled the magic tools he had used.

And waited.

His worry grew as nothing happened.

Not even the slightest twitch.

Was he wrong?

Did he mistake what he was supposed to do?

Did he fail?

Though his mind was plagued with distressful thoughts, Midorima never once took his eyes off Aomine.

Even if he was wrong, even if he failed, he would not disregard his trust in Kuroko and that dragon of his.

His trust in Kuroko who had willingly handed over something this precious to Kise.

And his trust in the dragon who gave those precious items to Kuroko.

So, he waited.

And then Aomine coughed.

His body shuddered violently, heaving as he drew a desperate deep breath.

Midorima jumped into action, quickly turning Aomine onto his side, trying to ease any difficulties he might have. Aomine's painful coughing only ceased after a minute. The wounds on his body closed and healed over, his complexion improving drastically.

Aomine's eyes opened.

They were unfocused, but not in the manner of a dying man.

This was… The emperor's hypnosis.

Shit.

The hypnosis was still not removed!

Midorima moved fast, physically pinning down the dazed Aomine.

"Mido-chin! What are you doing?" Murasakibara was gaping at him, shocked.

"The hypnosis! It's still in effect!" Midorima shouted, doing everything he could to keep the struggling Aomine down. Murasakibara nodded in understanding, turning to face Kise.

"Oi, Kise-chin! Snap out of it!" Murasakibara growled. Kise didn't seem to hear him. Murasakibara flicked a little magic circle at him, not meant to hurt, just to gain Kise's attention. The magic exploded, making Kise take a step back. Using this opportunity, Murasakibara shouted, "Mine-chin is alive!"

Kise froze.

"He's alive, Kise-chin." Murasakibara repeated.

Kise's body trembled as his eyes closed, and then they opened up again in a frustratingly slow blink.

It took a moment, but then Kise's clouded eyes finally cleared up.

"…Alive?" Kise whispered in a soft voice.

"Yes, Kise-chin. He's alive. Mine-chin is alive."

"…Alive. Aominecchi… He's alive." Kise murmured, then his eyes snapped to where Aomine was.

"What? You're finally back?" Midorima snapped. "Good, now help me."

"Why… What are you doing to Aominecchi?" Kise staggered, footsteps heavy as he approached Midorima.

"The emperor's hypnosis is still in effect, so I'm holding him back." Midorima replied, grunting with the effort.

Kise paused, blinking.

Hypnosis…

Oh. That's right. Akashicchi's charm!

"Midorimacchi! Please hold him down stronger! Akashicchi gave me charm to remove the hypnosis!"

Kise dug around in his clothes, frantically searching.

When he felt something like paper under his fingers, he immediately pulled it out. A beautiful yellow-gold charm with elegant red letters rested on his palm. Kise reached forward, slapping it onto Aomine's forehead.

The charm glowed, accompanied by Aomine's scream of pain. The glow from the charm extended, covering his body with pale light. Kise swore he could hear the faint sounds of something breaking. When the light dimmed and the paper charm fell away, Aomine was left lying unconscious. Beside him, the charm disintegrated into ashes.

Kise stretched out a hand, lightly slapping Aomine's cheek, trying to wake him.

It took a few tries, but then a very familiar pair of blue eyes met his anxious ones.

"…Kise?" Aomine groaned.

Kise couldn't help the smile that grew on his face, and he didn't bother to stop it either.

"Aominecchi," he whispered.

"Ouch… Huh? Midorima and Murasakibara?" Aomine blinked, confused.

"…Finally. Mine-chin is really troublesome." Murasakibara mumbled, though he didn't look annoyed. On the contrary, there was a smile on his face.

"Indeed he is." Midorima huffed, adjusting his glasses. Even on his face, there was a little smile concealed by the hand he was using to push up his glasses.

"Aominecchi." Kise loomed over Aomine's puzzled face.

"…What?" Aomine mumbled, still unable to fully comprehend what was happening.

Kise beamed down at him as tears gathered in his eyes.

"Welcome back."


	33. Chapter 33

Watching the Aomine Daiki he knew blink back at him, confused but _alive_ before his eyes, relief flooded through Kise's veins.

His body swayed, and then he collapsed onto his side with a heavy thud.

The body that was only still moving due to sheer will and adrenaline finally gave in to its unattended injuries.

He distantly heard voices calling his name, but he couldn't focus.

"Kise! Damn, his wounds…!" Midorima lifted Kise's injured arm, pressing one hand onto the wound. Using his other hand, he yanked out the spear in his stomach. He quickly flooded the wounds with his magic. His eyes scanned Kise's body for any other injuries, and came upon his ankles.

"Damn it, even his ankles too? How were you even moving with such wounds?" Midorima muttered, eyebrows knitting together in concentration. He increased the amount of magic, covering Kise's ankles with green light as well.

"…Mido-chin? Mido-chin, are you alright? Your face is… Didn't you use a lot of power on Mine-chin earlier?" Murasakibara crouched beside Midorima, frowning in concern.

"I'm fine. These injuries need to be taken care of now. Waiting any longer is bad." Midorima mumbled, distracted but still able to give a coherent reply.

"Oi, Midorima. Stop." Aomine suddenly reached out for Midorima, grabbing him by the shoulder. "Your face is too pale, if you use any more power, you will collapse."

"If you're stopping me, does that mean you want Kise to die right here?" Midorima growled.

Aomine flinched, but then retorted, "If you collapse, there's no one who could help you!"

Midorima shook off Aomine's hand, not bothering to reply. He only continued sending power into Kise's injuries to heal them.

Murasakibara dug around his clothes, pulling out a thin bundle of paper charms; Midorima's healing charms.

"Mido-chin, use this to help you." Murasakibara placed the bundle on Kise's chest, near to where Midorima's hand was.

Midorima quickly shook his head. "No, keep that for yourself. You might require it later on."

"But Mido-chin, you shouldn't use too much power. Use this to help Kise-chin instead."

Midorima clicked his tongue in annoyance, ignoring Murasakibara's efforts.

"…This idiot!" Aomine growled, gritting his teeth.

Murasakibara fell into a steely silence, looking like he was contemplating physically pulling Midorima away from Kise.

He turned towards Aomine, serious – and almost angry – eyes settling on Aomine.

"Mine-chin, is there a vial anywhere near you?" He asked.

Aomine twitched, a little shiver running down his spine at the look in Murasakibara's eyes. He quickly searched around him, bringing up a little vial of blood.

Murasakibara snatched it out of his hands, shoving it into Midorima's face.

Midorima startled, momentarily losing concentration. The green light abruptly disappeared and blood began to flow from Kise's wounds again.

"Use this, Mido-chin." Murasakibara ordered.

"That's… The dragon's blood?" Midorima blinked.

"Didn't Kuro-chin say it before? That the blood of dragons have healing properties? Stop using your power, Mido-chin. If you don't, I will forcefully knock you out."

Midorima raised his head, taking in Murasakibara's nearly angry expression.

"…" He stared blankly at him for a moment, and finally nodded. He reached for the blood, carefully checking the lines on the vial.

He lifted Kise's head, pouring the blood down his throat.

"Drink, Kise." Midorima softly urged.

Kise swallowed down the blood, twitching slightly.

Midorima doubted that Kise needed the dragon's scale. His wounds were severe, but at least, his heart still continued to beat. The blood alone should suffice.

All of a sudden, the blood that was still flowing from Kise's wounds hardened into flattened tendrils and winded itself all around his body. The arm that was barely attached was wrapped up with the red tendrils, looking exactly like thick, blooded bandages. His wounds on his stomach and ankles too, were bound up tightly.

Kise's body jerked, screams ripping from his throat as he thrashed around in pain.

Aomine pulled Midorima back with a clipped order of, "Rest!" and quickly held down the writhing Kise.

Compared to the clearly exhausted Midorima, Aomine's regained strength was much better at holding down Kise.

Kise wasn't conscious, even though his eyes were wide open. His glazed over eyes unsettled Aomine, but he said nothing and only did his best to prevent Kise from injuring himself from all the thrashing about.

With a painful choking noise, Kise abruptly fell still.

Slowly, his eyes slid shut.

Aomine released his grip on Kise, shocked, as the blood that was wrapped around him started to sink into his body. As they disappeared, Kise's severed arm was revealed, restored to its original state. There wasn't even a scar left behind on all his injuries.

Aomine inhaled sharply at the scene before him, unable to believe his eyes.

"You know, Kise-chin is really lucky." Murasakibara suddenly said.

Aomine turned to face Murasakibara, incredulous. "Hah? What is that supposed to mean? How is he lucky?"

"Mine-chin is really strong, especially in sword skills. But that doesn't mean your magic is weak either. However, the whole time you were fighting against Kise-chin, you didn't use any magic at all. If you had, Kise-chin would have been killed by you." Murasakibara explained.

Midorima sighed, saying, "That's true. If you were conscious, you wouldn't have just fought with a sword alone. Maybe it was a stroke of good luck that the emperor's hypnosis caused you to only use your sword."

Aomine fell silent, gazing down at the unconscious Kise.

Midorima shifted closer, grabbing Kise's wrist to check on his condition. After a short while, he nodded satisfactorily. "He should be waking up soon. There doesn't seem to be any problems with his body."

Midorima stood up, facing the crowd around them.

The whole time, the emperor's army had been hacking away at Murasakibara's barrier while they were busy with Aomine and Kise. Midorima didn't say anything, but during that time, he had noticed Murasakibara creating new barriers to replace the worn-down ones a few times.

…He must be exhausted from not being able to rest from using his power for even a moment.

"Aomine," Midorima murmured as he glanced down at him.

"Hm?"

"Now that you're back, do us a favour and aid us in knocking down all these mindless puppets, would you? Don't kill them, because Akashi wants them alive."

Aomine pushed himself up, looking around.

"Only allowed to hit all these people hard enough to make them unconscious? …Well, that will be hella troublesome but since it's Akashi's order, I can't exactly go against him, huh?"

"Indeed." Midorima's eyes narrowed as he pushed up his glasses.

"I will keep a barrier around Kise-chin until he wakes up." Murasakibara informed them.

"Got it, but it would be nice if you could actually fill me in on this plan of Akashi's and about what just happened. You said I fought with Kise? Why?" Aomine asked, though he didn't take his eyes off the opponents in front of him.

"Hm, fine, we can tell you about everything you missed. But first, how good are your multitasking skills?" Midorima asked. He smirked a little as he said, "We'll fill you in as we fight, think you can do that?"

"Heh." Aomine chuckled, a broad grin on his face. "Don't underestimate me."

"I'm taking down the barrier." Murasakibara drawled, relaxed even as he faced the large crowd around them.

"Okay!"

* * *

x

* * *

Kuroko blinked his eyes, his blurry vision slowly coming into focus.

He raised his head and glanced around.

He was bound – spread-eagled – to a magic circle placed behind him with strong black ropes of magic while floating not too far off from the ground.

And the place he was in, wasn't the emperor's throne room anymore. He was in a much smaller room with a single large magic circle in the middle. But the magic circle was weird. It had the usual symbols written on the outside, but in the middle, was a deep black hole.

…A summoning magic sigil.

Kuroko stared at it, raising an eyebrow.

This was surely the emperor's doing, but what exactly was he trying to summon?

Kuroko hummed, thinking back.

Akashi did mention something about the emperor dealing with forbidden magic, and also about beasts, if he remembered correctly.

So this must be the beast that the emperor is trying to summon?

Its aura was astonishingly malicious, and the air around the sigil would often distort by itself. There was something within the black hole, something very strong and evil.

Ah, yes. Where was the emperor?

Kuroko didn't see him anywhere.

…Should he call for the emperor?

As he pondered it, there came even more movement from within the hole. Looks like this wasn't good, the summoning was about to be completed very, very soon.

"So, you're finally awake?"

Kuroko blinked, turning his head slightly towards the voice. The emperor leisurely strolled to where Kuroko was, going a little further and then spun around to face him. The emperor's violet eyes took in Kuroko's current state.

"Where is this?" Kuroko asked.

"A room that I specially created just for the sake of a little pet that I'm raising." The emperor replied.

"Is that so? So it's a room created with your power."

"Yes and no. Originally, it was a normal room. But I have done lots of modifications on it so it's now filled with my power at every corner."

Kuroko hummed. "I see."

The emperor frowned at him. "You seem different."

"Isn't that obvious? You released the seals restraining me after all."

"Not that." The emperor growled. "You aren't behaving in the same manner as before. Even though those impertinent silver eyes of yours have returned, it looks like your temperament is vastly different."

"Ah." Kuroko murmured. He gestured towards the magic binding him and said, "Your Majesty, how about releasing me from this first? It's not the most comfortable to talk like this."

"And if I don't want to?" The emperor raised an eyebrow in challenge.

Kuroko sighed. "I see, so you're not going to. Well, that doesn't matter."

The magic circle behind him suddenly gave a loud crack, shattering into pieces. Kuroko drop to the floor, landing on his feet without a problem.

The emperor blinked, looking impressed.

"To think you have such overwhelming power, enough to break one of my spells without even using an incantation." The emperor smiled. "Not bad, rebel kid."

Kuroko slightly smiled in return.

"I would like to ask you a question." He said.

"Go ahead." The emperor amicably replied.

"I know that you have sacrificed many lives in your quest for power. Why do you do such a thing? Are you that unsatisfied with the power you have, even after so many years?"

"Of course." The emperor nodded. "I have ruled for a very, very long time. But then I realised that I'm lacking a goal as an emperor. So I made one for myself."

"A goal?"

"Yes. To become an absolute ruler. I will rule over everything and everyone, this entire world shall bow at my feet. And in order for me to achieve that, it is only right that a great number lives are sacrificed for such an honourable cause!" The emperor laughed joyfully.

Kuroko tilted his head, blinking.

"An absolute ruler…" He murmured.

"Yes." The emperor smirked.

Kuroko hummed, eyebrows furrowed in thought. After a moment, he simply shrugged his shoulders, unconcerned with the emperor's words.

"Say, Your Majesty…"

"What?"

"I'm sure you are very curious about my identity, aren't you? So how about we do a little trade?"

"A trade?"

"Yes. It's very simple. All you need to do is introduce yourself to me and I shall do the same."

The emperor laughed.

"Are you going to attempt to use my name, you brat?"

Kuroko shook his head. "I have no desire to do that, Your Majesty. I just genuinely want to know."

The emperor narrowed his eyes, suspicious. After a while, he said, "Alright. I agree. Now, tell me your name."

Kuroko only smiled.

"Oh, looks like you didn't quite understand me. I said that you would have to introduce yourself, and then I would do the same, didn't I? So you should start first, Your Majesty."

"What nonsense. I'm telling you to tell me your name right now, so –"

"Your Majesty," Kuroko cut off the emperor's sentence, staring at him with cold eyes. "The one who agreed to this was you. Surely you are above the foolishness of not keeping your words, yes?"

"You…" The emperor snarled.

Kuroko blinked innocently.

"What a truly troublesome brat you are. Alright, fine. I shall tell you, so you better listen up."

"Of course."

"I have no name. I have given up such useless things long ago." The emperor proudly said.

Kuroko just stared, his face devoid of expressions.

"Now, your turn." The emperor's eyes widened with anticipation as he waited.

"Your Majesty, that's not true, isn't it?" Kuroko stated.

"Huh?"

"You do have a name. You took over a body that already has a name after all. After taking over something, isn't it only natural that you take everything with you? Including the name of that body."

The emperor blinked.

"The name of this body? Why do you want to know such useless things? It does not even affect me if you know."

"I told you. I just want to know."

The emperor hummed, placing a hand on his chin as he thought.

"This body's name… What was it? I can't quite remember. Hm…"

Kuroko waited patiently as the emperor frowned hard while thinking.

Eventually, the emperor's eyes lit up. He lightly hit his left fist into his open palm.

"I remember now." The emperor smiled. "This body's name is Imayoshi Shouichi."

Kuroko smiled. "Is that so?"

"Now, tell me yours." The emperor sent Kuroko an impatient glare.

"Sure. I'm Kuroko Tetsuya."

The emperor's eyes widened with glee. "Kuroko Tetsuya? Kuroko Tetsuya…" He repeated it over and over, and then burst into laughter.

"I will have you, Kuroko Tetsuya. You will be truly useful as both a pawn and a sacrifice." The emperor spread his arms wide, spinning around as he envision something only he could see. "I will use you to kill off every one of those rebel group members that stands in my way, especially that extremely annoying leader!"

"Ah, really?" Kuroko cocked his head to one side, watching the overjoyed emperor calmly.

A sudden myriad of magic circles appeared all around the room, mostly around Kuroko and the emperor.

"You will be mine to use now, Kuroko Tetsuya." The emperor madly grinned at him.

Kuroko lifted his head, taking in all the magic circles.

"Hm." He hummed. "I suppose I should test it out?" He mumbled to himself.

"Fall, Kuroko Tetsuya!"

The magic circles all glowed at once, and Kuroko raised his hand, his palm facing the ceiling. A silvery-blue ball took form in his palm, crackling with energy. The ball of magic was pathetically small compared to the numerous spells of the emperor.

The emperor had paused for a moment as he watch Kuroko's actions, and then he bent over, body shaking with mocking laughter. "Just what do you think you can do with that little thing? How pathetic!"

Kuroko ignored the emperor and simply tossed the little ball into the air, softly murmuring out a single word: "Destroy."

A loud explosion shook the entire palace, and blindingly white light filled the room Kuroko was in.

When the light dimmed, it revealed a panting emperor, his eyes wide with horrified shock.

Kuroko glanced at him, taking in the dishevelled clothes and the little cut on the emperor's face. The room was no better, crumbling in on itself, only held together by the emperor's magic.

"Akashi-kun was right, I see. Your naivety is quite a sight to behold. How is that even after ruling for such a long time, you are still unable to properly read your opponents?" Kuroko sighed.

"You…" The emperor gaped, his lips trembling as he faced Kuroko. "What…"

"Shall I explain?" Kuroko offered. "Your Majesty, from the moment I have awoken, I have always looked you straight in the eyes. You should have taken that clue, but you didn't. And the way I gave you my name so easily when I clearly knew that you control people through it was another clue that you did not take. I wonder if ruling for so long has made your perception weak."

"You dare!" The emperor snarled, flinging his hands out before him. But he was left stunned as magic didn't come forth. His eyes shot to his feet, where a silver-blue magic circle was rotating.

Magic Restriction.

"Have you seen it before?" Kuroko asked. "You must have, if you have fought against dragons. Just for you, I increased the power of that magic circle." Kuroko smiled then. "And once again, another clue that you missed. Your shock and anger have caused you to neglect your surroundings. You were too caught up in yourself."

Kuroko sighed, looking at the emperor with pitying eyes.

"Really, I do not know how you do it. A magic of that scale, anyone would have noticed. It's impossible not to, especially since the magic power I used was by no means small. Your Majesty, perhaps you should be glad? You made what was impossible come true."

Kuroko chuckled.

The emperor was shaking, not from fear, but from anger.

"This circle… I have seen this disgusting magic countless times. The magic of those despicable dragons… You dare to use this magic on me? …I will kill you. I will kill you!"

"Do you not want to know how I am able to use dragon magic?"

"I don't care about that!" The emperor shouted, completely enraged. "I will kill you right here! I will rip every little limb from you. Your fingers, your toes and then those arms and legs! I will make you experience pain that will make you beg for your life a thousand times over!"

The emperor fought with his own body, actually using his hands to forcefully move his legs.

Kuroko only watched on as the emperor struggled.

He wondered how the person was like, the true owner of the body that the emperor was using. Imayoshi Shouichi, was it? Was he a tyrant ruler or a gracious ruler? If Kuroko were to kill the emperor, should he kill Imayoshi Shouichi along with him?

When the emperor succeeded in getting one of his legs just an inch out of the magic circle, he immediately blasted magic in Kuroko's direction while dispelling the magic at his feet.

Kuroko lightly dodged to the side, engaging the emperor in another magic battle. This time however, Kuroko wasn't restrained by anything and could easily wield his magic.

"I will kill you! I will kill you!" The emperor chanted over and over as he fired spell after spell at Kuroko.

Kuroko sighed softly as the emperor's continuous death threats jarred his ears. Maybe he should just kill the emperor to shut him up.

Kuroko frowned.

That would be the easiest way, but also the most boring.

He wanted to play a little more.

Whatever shall he do?

Bind up the emperor? That wouldn't be fun either.

Cut off one of the emperor's arm?

Kuroko blinked.

That seems feasible.

He could go with that then.

"I will destroy you!"

The sudden change in threat had Kuroko focusing back on the emperor. "Destroy you… Destroy you! I will break you!" The emperor snarled, his violet eyes glowing with his rage.

Kuroko froze for a moment, ignoring a spell that came into direct contact with his body.

Everything would just heal up anyway.

He jumped down from where he was perched on a tapestry, landing in front of the emperor. The emperor startled, quickly moving back. Kuroko followed him, sending thick silver-blue magic to forcefully tie the emperor's arms to his side.

Kuroko reached out, floating before the emperor. He stroked the emperor's face gently, running his thumb under one violet eye.

"What was that you said?" Kuroko whispered. "You, destroy me? You want to destroy me?"

"Wha – "

"How foolish can you be? You don't even know about me and yet you want to destroy me?" Kuroko narrowed his eyes. "For you who is so hopelessly ignorant, I will tell you about myself. I am ruin, I am death. _I am one who destroys._ You dare to talk of destruction to me?"

Kuroko slid his finger down the emperor's face, pressing against the – frozen – emperor's lips.

"This mouth, shall I destroy it?"

Kuroko shifted his finger, placing it on the lower lip. He applied more pressure, pulling open the emperor's mouth.

"This tongue, shall I destroy it?"

Kuroko trailed his finger down to the emperor's chest.

"This life of yours, shall I destroy it?"

The emperor stuttered out, "N-n-nonsense. Y-you can't kill me. The only thing you end up doing is killing this body."

"You still don't understand." Kuroko murmured. "It doesn't matter where you hide, or what methods you use. What I want to destroy, what I wish to destroy, _will be destroyed."_

Kuroko's silver eyes widened, and his pupils morphed. On the left, his pupil shrunk and six blue streaks stretched out from it. On his right, it became a bright red with black lining running through his eye. Red, black and silver. They blended together, twisting around over and over until suddenly, everything stilled. And what was revealed was an eye _within_ an eye.

Like a grotesque demon only heard of in tales, there were two eyes within a single socket. One was moderately human-looking, while the other was narrowed into a silt like a vile beast.

The emperor screamed upon sighting it, struggling desperately to get away.

"Demon, demon! You're not a human, but a complete demon!" The emperor thrashed in his bindings, casting countless magic spells to break the magic binds. But none of them worked.

Kuroko laughed.

"Emperor, you fear not the beasts nor the powerful humans, but instead, you are pitifully weak before a 'Demon'?"

"Beast or Human, they can be subdued! A mystical existence like a Demon cannot be controlled!" The emperor shouted, looking out of his mind with fear.

"I see. But what if I tell you that I'm not a Demon? It would be more appropriate to call me a Monster. I was created into this monstrous thing, though I don't feel any resentment at all. …Oh, that's right. I must thank you, Emperor. Your actions finally allowed me to be fully released."

"What – "

"My full power have always been repressed, because of a part of me that fears myself. But that 'me' is currently asleep now, and is no longer able to interfere. I shall slowly devour him later on." Kuroko smiled.

"…You would even devour yourself? What a monster you are. Those eyes truly reflect what you are." The emperor spat out, even as he continued to tremble before Kuroko.

Kuroko lifted a hand to lightly trace around his eyes.

"Ah." He smiled. "I can't see what the exact appearance of my eyes are, but I do have some idea of what they have changed into." He tapped under his right eye and proceeded to explain, "This one that contains an eye of a beast is due to the Unicorn's blood in me. My dying body was brought back to life because of that blood, so this is probably some kind of side effect."

"It's not the prettiest, but don't concern yourself with such a minor thing as appearances." Kuroko lightly shrugged.

He moved his hand over to the left side and said, "As for this eye, it should be normal."

"Normal?" The emperor snarled. "How is that disgusting thing supposed to be 'normal'?"

"As in, this is how my eyes should be after the release of my full power." Kuroko clarified. "I can also force down this change to have normal-looking eyes, though it takes some effort."

He tilted his head, blinking at the bound emperor. Their eyes locked in a fierce battle of glares, but Kuroko could clearly see the fear that the emperor didn't quite manage to conceal.

He moved away from him, floating a little higher as he glared down at the emperor who had managed to control his trembling enough that it only barely showed.

"You disappoint me, Emperor. I will kill you here, both you and the body you are using."

Kuroko lifted a hand, gathering a silver-blue ball of magic.

The emperor clearly recognised it, if his even more frantic efforts to free himself was any indication.

Kuroko shifted the ball to between his fingers, preparing to flick it at the emperor.

But before he could, the door burst open, breaking into pieces as it hit the ground.

Kuroko turned around slowly, staring at the figure in the doorway.

Red hair and a familiar pair of heterochromatic eyes.

Akashi Seijuurou.

* * *

 **A/N:**

Congratulations to all those who have correctly guessed the identity of the second emperor! Well done! (^-^)/


	34. Chapter 34

Kuroko lowered himself to the ground, his feet landing lightly on the floor.

He blinked at Akashi, then he smiled.

"Hello, Akashi-kun."

Akashi scanned him from head to toe, pausing at his eyes, and then a frown formed on his face.

"Kuroko." Akashi said, though he looked as though he doubted it truly was Kuroko before him. "What do you think you are doing?" He asked.

Kuroko tilted his head.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Earlier, when the entire palace shook, that was not the First Emperor's magic. It was yours, wasn't it?"

Kuroko nodded. "Yes."

Akashi's eyes flicked to where the emperor was still bound by Kuroko's magic.

"Release him." Akashi ordered.

Kuroko blinked. "Why?" He asked.

"Hand him over to me. Eliminating him is my duty."

Kuroko turned to stare at the emperor. After a moment, he faced Akashi again.

"No." He simply said.

Akashi raised an eyebrow. "No?"

"No." Kuroko repeated. "I won't go back on my words."

"What are you talking about?"

"Earlier, I told the First Emperor that I will kill him. I won't go back on it now." Kuroko explained.

Akashi just stared at Kuroko. Then he said, "Do not be foolish. Are you saying that you are going to break your promise?"

"Promise?" Kuroko repeated.

"…Have you truly forgotten the promise you made, the one thing that has kept you going all this time?"

Kuroko tilted his head, thinking. "Ah!" He exclaimed. "Do you mean that thing with the white dragon?"

Akashi didn't answer, though his silence was more than enough.

Kuroko casually waved his hand. "If it's about that, then you don't have to worry. As I am right now, I have some rather high sensitivity to magic. I don't need the emperor for that promise anymore. I can simply seek out the spell and break it on my own."

"…Is that so. Then you should know that you won't be able to kill the First Emperor without harming the body he is using."

Kuroko smiled. "That is of no concern. That's because I also said to him that I will kill the body he is using as well."

Akashi's eyes narrowed into a glare.

"You will do no such thing."

Kuroko shrugged carelessly even under the pressure of Akashi's gaze. "I will do what I want."

"Kuroko."

Kuroko sighed. "It may be your duty, but as long as the emperor is eliminated, it doesn't really matter who did it right? If you really want to be the one to kill him completely, then I suppose I can leave a little part of him still alive for you to finish off."

"You… What are you talking about?" Akashi asked, his voice filled with restrained anger.

"It's simple, Akashi-kun. All I have to do is break him into pieces. I will destroy majority of it, leaving the last piece for you. That way, you will end up fulfilling your duty, right?"

"Kuroko Tetsuya, have you lost your mind?"

Kuroko frowned. "Not at all. That's quite rude of you, Akashi-kun."

"Don't play games with me, Tetsuya. You are clearly not yourself right now."

"But I am 'myself', Akashi-kun. In fact, I can't be any less. My power has finally fully awakened, and this is how I should have been from the very start."

Akashi shifted, glaring down at Kuroko.

"No, you are not. If this is how you are going to be, then before I handle the emperor, I will have to deal with you first."

Kuroko blinked. "Deal with me?"

"Your very presence, even the way you think, has changed. Right now, you are the most dangerous being to this world. I will eliminate you."

Kuroko fell silent, wordlessly staring at Akashi. Eventually, in a soft voice, he said, "Are you saying that you want to kill me?"

"I have to." Akashi replied.

Kuroko closed his eyes as a sigh fell from his lips.

"…Alright. Then can I assume that that is your final decision, Akashi-kun?"

"Yes."

Kuroko's eyes opened.

"It makes me quite sad." He murmured. "But, you do know that I won't allow you to do as you wish with me, right? You may be a Sleeping God, one who serves directly under the Higher Calling, but those things don't matter to me."

A little smile danced on his lips as his silver-blue aura exploded around him. His hair was swept up and blown about wildly within the whirlwind in the wake of his aura being released.

He raised his head a little, that pair of inhuman eyes of his fixed on Akashi.

"I will even go against God himself, if it means granting my own desires."

A deep frown settled on Akashi's lips as he too, released his aura. Unlike Kuroko's aura that could clearly be seen, Akashi's aura was invisible, colourless, yet still tangible.

The magic binding the emperor fell away as little bunches of white flames burst from the ground, carving out a large, complex sigil underneath Kuroko's feet. A row of magic circles took form behind him, crackling with energy. It was so great that the room began to shake, cracks spreading across the floor.

Anytime now, this entire room will shatter.

Akashi raised his hand, calling forth a single, huge sigil. It was placed a little behind him, above his head. It contained more layers and strange symbols than any other spell ever seen, but compared to Kuroko's show of power, his was comparably small.

Still, Kuroko did not even attempt to gloat.

He simply shifted slightly, spreading his feet for more balance. He was not foolish enough to look down upon Akashi, nor underestimate him.

There was the smallest of a smirk on Akashi's face, with a hint of approval in his eyes. Any other person would have immediately assumed that they had gained the upper hand since they appeared to have more power than Akashi did. But not Kuroko. Kuroko was looking at him like he would an enemy of equal power, or perhaps more.

A trait that only those who have constantly fought with their lives at stake against those stronger than them could have.

Kuroko lifted his hand, a ball of magic forming on his palm.

It spun within itself, steadily growing in size.

Akashi's eyes narrowed, and the magic circle behind him glowed. It started a slow rotation, shining brighter and brighter with every turn.

Kuroko brought his hand back, and threw the – now enormous – ball of magic at Akashi.

Magic shot out of the sigil behind Akashi, intercepting Kuroko's.

A deafening explosion rang out, and a tremendous beam of power tore right through the ceiling like it was nothing more than flimsy paper. The entire room shook and collapsed, throwing them all into a dark abyss. Both Kuroko and Akashi remained unaffected, floating in the middle of the space.

The freed emperor had barely managed to stop himself from falling, wavering in the air unsteadily.

And then, four pairs of glowing red eyes abruptly appeared from within the darkness.

Kuroko blinked, as did Akashi, their attention drawn to those eyes.

The black abyss rumbled, and a line suddenly split open, revealing a blood red bottomless mouth.

Kuroko found himself being forced towards that mouth by a startlingly strong suction power.

This…

This was the beast that the First Emperor was trying to summon!

Was it trying to consume him?

Kuroko growled, throwing a large silver spike at the beast's mouth. It blew up with a resounding _boom_ , cutting off the odd suction power drawing him in. Kuroko shot up to the thin crack of light above, where it would surely lead him out of here.

Akashi was already there, floating very close to the exit. He didn't even glance at Kuroko as he stopped beside him.

What Akashi was focused on was the emperor, where lightning was crackling around him.

The emperor laughed as the beast recovered itself, the four pairs of eyes shifting around as it searched. Its gaze landed on Akashi and Kuroko.

"Hah! You did a good job of breaking that room. Now, you have splendidly fallen into a space where my pet is contained!" The emperor grinned. "This makes it really easy for me. You guys will be the sacrifice needed for my pet's full summoning!"

The beast let out a roar, charging at Kuroko and Akashi.

They couldn't see the true form of the beast in this darkness, only its red eyes and mouth.

Akashi hummed contemplatively, and then he threw a spell in the air. It flooded the entire abyss with light for only a moment. But it was enough. They had gotten a good look at the beast.

It had the body of a tiger, legs like a spider, and the head of a humongous bat. The four pairs of eyes were side by side, with a gaping line underneath it that served as a mouth.

There was a strange slime covering its body too.

Kuroko reeled back, face twisted in disgust.

"What a wretched beast." He commented.

"What are you talking about? This glorious beast is where you will end up sleeping in forever, so you had better learn to love it!" The emperor laughed.

Kuroko's eyes narrowed. Seems like the emperor had forgotten the fear he had towards Kuroko. Did he already forget about what Kuroko told him about himself? What a stupid emperor.

"Akashi-kun." Kuroko called across the space where he had last seen Akashi.

"Yes?"

"How in the world did you take this long to handle such a stupid emperor?"

Akashi tossed a spell at the beast that had somehow chosen him as the first target. He flew up as the spell made contact with the beast and sent its vile blood spraying all over.

"Didn't you know? I am bound by rules." Akashi replied.

"Still, you could have easily handled him."

"I can't move recklessly. Especially since he hold too many minds and people as hostages."

"Then, just kill them all. Kill those that hinder you for the greater good. Isn't that the simplest way?" Kuroko sighed.

The dark space lit up as Akashi threw a rather large spell at the beast.

Kuroko had to dodge as blood and slime headed his way. He grunted, annoyed.

"Tetsuya. It seems to me that you are no longer able to discern between right and wrong. For you to even say such a thing only proves my words."

"I can't discern between right and wrong?" Kuroko repeated, shooting a couple of strong spells at both the beast and in Akashi's general direction. "You are mistaken, Akashi-kun. Even if killing the emperor causes some extra deaths, that's nothing to worry about. Don't you know that humans are a disgustingly tenacious race? Destroying a few of them does not matter since they will still rebuild their world once more."

Kuroko created a shield in front of himself as Akashi's next attack was not aimed at the beast, but on Kuroko instead.

"Kuroko Tetsuya, you have fallen far indeed. If you continue to exist, this world will one day be obliterated by you."

"You are foolish, Akashi-kun. One day, everything will be destroyed eventually. Including this world you are trying to protect. Why do you try so hard when you clearly know this fact? Your efforts will be fruitless."

Kuroko raised his hands, a magic circle slowly taking form above his palms.

"Enough now." He said. "I'm sure you want a decent fight with me, don't you? I will destroy this beast."

"You will destroy it?" Akashi asked, raising an eyebrow. "Well, that will save me the hassle of summoning the beast I was creating to handle this, so I suppose it's fine."

Kuroko smirked.

"Don't you dare!" The emperor suddenly bellowed, shooting spells at Kuroko. Kuroko dodged, twirling around in the air, never once dispelling the magic in his hands.

"It seems you have forgotten your earlier fear of me, Emperor." Kuroko smiled.

The emperor's eyes widened momentarily, but he gritted his teeth and regained himself. "Hah," the emperor snorted. "You shouldn't be so carefree, brat. Do you know that my beast also contains a lethal poison? Even a monster like you won't survive it. You will fall by my hand."

Kuroko blinked, taking in the determined violet eyes staring at him.

The emperor waved his hand, sending bolts of lightning at Kuroko. The beast whirled around, opening its mouth wide. Dozens of slime balls shot out from its mouth, targeting both Akashi and Kuroko.

They dodged, Kuroko having to move twice as fast to avoid the emperor's attack as well. The spell he wanted to use took some time to create, so he was not going to interrupt it by using other magic to counter the attacks. A soft sizzling sound made him pause, glancing down at his arm.

Two little drops of the slime had landed on his sleeve, burning away the cloth up to his shoulder. Kuroko blinked. Was this the poison that the emperor mentioned? Would his skin burned away if it made contact? He supposed it was a good thing that he had on a shirt with long sleeves.

Though, he was rather curious as to whether the poison would actually affect him with his unique healing abilities. He was curious, yes, but it was not enough for him to willingly get hit by the slime.

Kuroko turned to face the emperor, whose face lit up with a large triumphant grin.

Kuroko softly huffed.

That foolish man was rejoicing way too early, because poisonous beast or not, something like this was not enough to stop him.

"You wish to fight against me?" Kuroko murmured, addressing the emperor. He shook his head. "But you won't do. You will only fail and bore me."

"What audacity – "

Kuroko turned, ignoring the emperor as he headed straight for the beast.

He slammed his magic circle down onto the beast's back – careful not to touch any of the slime – and then flew up to where the little crack of light was. He climbed out, and just a second later, Akashi came out as well. The emperor dangled from Akashi's firm grip around his silken robe.

Kuroko glanced down at the darkness, and softly said, "Ravaging Inferno."

This spell was the very one he used back when he had first lost control over himself, but the difference this time is that he was highly aware of how much strength and power he was using. He had calculated everything.

Flashes of light lit up the darkness as explosion after explosion caused even the room he was in to shake. He distantly heard the sound of concrete falling too.

About a minute later, everything settled down and a heavy silence filled the air.

Kuroko snorted, turning away. He glanced around, blinking as he found himself back in the emperor's throne room.

Akashi tossed the unconscious emperor aside, throwing strong binding spells at him before turning to face Kuroko.

But before either of them could speak, the door burst open.

Kuroko tilted his head, taking in the appearance of the people in the doorway.

He recognised one man, he had met him for a brief moment.

Kiyoshi Teppei.

But as his eyes shifted onto the other man, he only blinked in confusion. He didn't know who that person was. He had short black hair and grey eyes with an athletic figure – that could easily be seen due to his robe blowing out behind him. He was rather tall too, though he looked small next to Kiyoshi's larger build.

Kuroko blinked, staring at the man's attire. His robe was not as fancy as the emperor's but it was clearly not something any ordinary person could wear. Was this man somehow related to the emperor like Kiyoshi was? They were even together, after all.

The man took a step forward. There was the softest intake of breath beside him, and Kuroko glanced at Akashi.

Akashi was staring at the man Kuroko didn't know, eyes a little wide in recognition, making Kuroko raise an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Oh, looks like we meet again." The man said.

Akashi frowned a little as he replied. "Yes."

The man's eyes shifted away from Akashi's, wordlessly taking in the unconscious emperor's prone form. "Ah," the man softly exhaled, looking impressed. "Not only are you still alive, you are actually able to bind up that man. Not too shabby, are you?"

The man turned his gaze onto Kuroko, eyebrows raising in shock as he took a good look at Kuroko's eyes. That was the only sign of surprise he displayed though, easily settling down again.

The man's reaction instantly placed Kuroko on his guard.

A normal reaction upon laying eyes on him as he was right now would be fear, just like the emperor, a fear so strong that it was enough to make someone lose control. But this man had regained himself so easily…

Kuroko frowned.

The man smiled.

"Oh, that's right. I remember telling you about how I would introduce myself if you managed to stay alive, didn't I? For you foreign intruders who don't know about me… Since both of you are alive, I shall do as I promised."

The man lowered himself into a little bow, and then straightened his back and spoke in a clear voice, "I am Nijimura Shuuzo, younger brother to that emperor over there."

Kiyoshi stepped forward, standing beside Nijimura. He glanced at Kuroko, then at Akashi. With a little smile, he too, introduced himself. "Kiyoshi Teppei." His introduction was short and overly simple, but his position could be seen clearly from his attire.

Akashi stared at Kiyoshi from head to toe, comparing the similar clothing Nijimura and Kiyoshi were wearing. Kiyoshi Teppei must surely be related to the emperor as well. Another brother, perhaps?

Akashi hummed, and then said, "I am Akashi Seijuurou, leader of the rebel group."

Recognition flashed in the eyes of the two men before him, especially in Nijimura's.

"Ah. Aomine Daiki is under you, isn't he?" Nijimura asked.

Akashi nodded, a little surprised.

"Are you not going to help him? I heard that you have the abilities to break the emperor's hypnosis. Don't you want him back on your side? He makes a good fighting force."

Akashi blinked.

"Heh. Are you worrying about Daiki? How nice of you. But your worries are off the mark. The members of the rebel group are not so incompetent that they can't help Daiki without me there. While I did lend a hand, the one doing the actual work is not me."

Nijimura hummed, nodding in understanding. His eyes then settled on Kuroko. "You look familiar, yet not. Who are you?"

"Kuroko Tetsuya."

"Oh? I see."

"…You know me?" Kuroko asked.

"You are rather famous within the palace. The new rebel kid that splendidly pissed off the emperor. That takes courage, you know." Nijimura chuckled.

Kuroko blinked, cocking his head a little.

"…Nijimura Shuuzo, Kiyoshi Teppei." Akashi addressed both of them. "Correct me if I am wrong, but you appear to be siblings in my eyes, based on your attires."

Kiyoshi was the one who answered. "Yes, I suppose you can say we are."

"We are not blood related." Nijimura explained. "But we hold the title of 'Prince', as brothers of the emperor."

Kuroko spoke up then.

"Brothers of the emperor even though you are not blood related?"

"Yes. We come from different families that each have some royal blood in their history, so I suppose calling us distant cousins would be more accurate. To put it simply, we were thrown into the palace as young children to become sacrifices of the emperor." Kiyoshi said all this with a light tone, as though he wasn't bothered by it.

Kuroko turned his head, staring at the emperor for a moment before facing the two of them again.

"Imayoshi Shouichi. Was he one of the sacrificed children too?" Kuroko asked.

Kiyoshi paused, eyes widening in surprise.

"So you know his name? Impressive. But yes, you're right. He was the same as us, and his body was used to host the First Emperor."

Akashi's eyes narrowed. "It looks like you are rather clear on the situation. How did you know about the First Emperor?"

Nijimura snorted. "We did our research, obviously. You will be surprised at the amount of information hidden all around the palace."

"Oh?" Akashi softly murmured, his eyes alight with interest.

Seeing this, Nijimura laughed.

"Interested, are you? I wouldn't mind telling you all I know, but first, I need to know what you plan to do with the emperor."

Akashi easily explained his intentions.

"I am planning to remove the First Emperor from the body he is using, and destroy him completely. He is nothing more than a useless piece of soul that only knows how to cause chaos. It is time to put an end to this."

Kiyoshi hummed. "So you are saying that you are not going to kill Imayoshi Shouichi, but rather, the First Emperor?"

"Yes."

"Do you believe that you have the capabilities to do such a thing?" Nijimura questioned.

Akashi's answer was clear. "Yes."

"You don't seem to be an ordinary person." Nijimura observed. Akashi only smiled in return, saying nothing more.

"And you as well, I assume?" Nijimura stared at Kuroko. "You are working together with this man, Akashi Seijuurou, aren't you?"

Kuroko chuckled.

"I was. But not anymore. Our desires have clashed, so we are no longer allied."

Akashi tensed up slightly, preparing himself.

"Clashed?" Kiyoshi asked.

"Yes, clashed. Akashi-kun wishes to eliminate the First Emperor without bringing harm to the body he is using. However, I do not care for that. I will destroy them both."

A heavy, suffocating silence fell between them.

"Why do you want to kill even the innocent host that is used by the First Emperor?" Nijimura was the one to break the silence.

"Because he disappointed me." Kuroko replied. "Imayoshi Shouichi as well, the fact that he so easily succumbed to the First Emperor just shows how weak he was. Even if I left him alive, he would surely bore me. That's why I will kill them both."

Kiyoshi sighed.

"I wonder if you have fallen into insanity? Those eyes of yours, they clearly show your malevolent nature. Imayoshi Shouichi, while we were not the closest, but he was also someone who had been used as a sacrifice. It is unfortunate. Now that we have learnt that there is a possible way to destroy the First Emperor without killing the host, we cannot allow you to do as you wish."

Kiyoshi glanced at Nijimura, who responded with a firm nod.

Kuroko frowned. Why did so many people want to get in his way? First, it was Akashi. And now, Nijimura Shuuzo and Kiyoshi Teppei?

What an annoyance.

What should he do?

…Ah, that's right.

Removing these obstacles before him was actually easy.

He just needed to kill them all.

Kuroko grinned.


	35. Chapter 35

Tremors violently shook the earth and the palace, causing deep cracks that split that ground with a roar. A hole opened up where the palace was, but instead of falling, the entire palace floated in the air.

"What the hell was that!" Aomine shouted, turning his head left and right, trying to find the source.

"That was dangerous! Hey look! There are cracks all over the ground, but it's not breaking apart." Kise observed, staring down at his feet.

"Could it be from a confrontation with the First Emperor?" Midorima frowned.

"But it doesn't seem to be from the First Emperor's power. Neither is it from Aka-chin." Murasakibara shook his head, rejecting Midorima's words.

"…Did Kurokocchi go crazy again? Just like last time, Kurokocchi uses powers never seen before…" Kise spoke up, his eyes wide with dread.

"Damn, we're going inside! Leave those people behind. We have to find Akashi!" Midorima ordered, already rushing off.

Murasakibara, Kise and Aomine all followed his lead, weaving through the emperor's army.

"Oi, can someone explain to me who this 'Kurokocchi' is?" Aomine muttered as he ran.

"Ah. Aominecchi doesn't know, right? Kuroko Tetsuya, he just recently joined the rebel group. He was the one who caused the commotion not too long ago."

"Commotion? Are you talking about the time where the emperor's aide was severely injured and taken away?" Aomine asked.

"Eh? You know about that?" Kise blinked, and even Midorima turned his head back slightly.

"Yeah. There's someone within the palace with the ability to nullify the emperor's hypnosis to an extent. He helped me during the time I was stuck here. Because of him, I was able to keep track of quite a few things that were happening outside."

"Oh? Who is this man who is strong enough to do such a thing?" Midorima asked.

"The emperor's brother, Nijimura Shuuzo." Aomine answered.

As one, everyone's eyes widened.

"He seems to be an interesting man, to actually help you rather than be allied with the emperor." Midorima commented.

Kise chuckled. "Yeah. I would like to meet him."

"Mm." Murasakibara hummed in agreement.

Midorima shifted his gaze onto the army chasing them, and then turned to face the front. "Let's hurry. Akashi is probably somewhere within the deeper parts of the palace."

"Yes!"

* * *

x

* * *

Kuroko lightly twirled in the air, avoiding the attacks coming for him.

Kiyoshi's attacks were astoundingly strong, surprising Kuroko. Nijimura too, was strong as well. Not only that, he seemed to have formed a partnership with Akashi, and they moved as though they have been fighting together for years.

When they first began throwing spells at him, he was caught off guard, and suffered rather heavy wounds. But they all healed up after some time. Nijimura and Kiyoshi had gaped at him in shock when the wounds healed over before their eyes, and Kuroko took great delight in their reactions.

The teamwork between Nijimura and Akashi was quite troubling, especially since Kiyoshi had somehow managed to fit himself in as well. But still, Kuroko laughed, completely relaxed even with three people after him.

He threw out spells of his own, carelessly tossing them in their direction. They were unable to read his movements since he wasn't focused on anyone, thus, both Nijimura and Kiyoshi sported countless injuries all over their bodies from when they were unable to dodge Kuroko's attacks. Compared to them, Akashi only had a single deep cut on his arm. As expected of one known as a God.

Kuroko could see it all.

With his monstrous right eye, he is able to see 'lines'. The 'lines' show him where he needed to injure in order to 'destroy'. A cut here, and a leg will be gone for good. No amount of healing magic will be able to restore that leg. A little burst of power over there, and a person will be thorn into pieces.

The emperor was no exception, though it was just a little more challenging, because of the fact that there were two souls within a body.

This was the reason why he was confident in killing off the First Emperor. Nothing can escape him, not with this eye at his disposal.

Kuroko flew around in the air as he wondered if this was similar to what Akashi sees when dealing with souls. One of Akashi's eyes was a different colour after all. And if one looks closely, his eyes – with their strangely narrowed pupils – do bear some resemblance to a beast's. Just like Kuroko's. Could it be possible that he was able to 'see' where to concentrate his attacks on in order to remove a soul from a body?

Kuroko hummed, blocking a strong spell from Akashi.

As long as Kuroko wanted to see those lines, they would appear. But he could also stop himself from seeing. As convenient as the ability was, it ended fights way too early. So right now, Kuroko wasn't using it.

He enjoyed the fight as it was, dodging and casting spells like a normal magician.

He paused suddenly, just for a second, as a thought crossed his mind.

The promise with the white dragon he had made was still yet to be fulfilled.

He should do it now, to get it out of the way. There was a constant nagging from some part of him that kept urging him to quickly free himself from the promise he made, so he no longer had anything to bind him. Kuroko glanced below, where Kiyoshi and Nijimura had remained on the ground instead of wasting their power through flying magic. The only one capable of matching Kuroko as he manoeuvred freely through the air was Akashi.

Should he kill them all now?

"Hm." Kuroko hummed, frowning a little.

It took only a moment, and he softly chuckled as he came to a decision. Casting a strong barrier around himself to repel magic attacks, he started to chant a short incantation under his breath. Two bright silver magic circles appeared before him. The circles glowed, and little spheres formed within them.

"Rupture." Kuroko whispered.

Beams of light shot out from the spheres, targeting Kiyoshi, Nijimura, Akashi and even the emperor.

As expected, Akashi moved to protect the unconscious emperor. In doing so, it caused him to get hit by the attack. Akashi hissed, staggering as the beam of magic burned a hole through his already injured arm.

Kiyoshi and Nijimura fared far worse than Akashi though, crying out in pain as the beams pierced them right in their lungs. They fell to their knees, coughing up mouthfuls of blood as they struggled to draw in air with their partially destroyed lungs.

Kuroko loosely crossed his arms, taking in the pitiful states of those two.

"You guys should be thankful because I gave you both a very precise wound. I even made sure to avoid shattering your ribcage, you know." He cheerfully spoke. Of course, he didn't get a reply. He turned his head, gaze shifting onto Akashi.

Akashi did not excel in healing like Midorima, but he was capable of closing wounds. That fact was proven when they had combined their powers back then to aid in the healing of Hayama Kotarou.

Kuroko chuckled as he made his way out of the crumbling throne room. Rather than killing off those two so easily, leaving them like this – heavily injured but still very much alive – would cause Akashi to do his best to save them. He would not leave them to die like that, so he would surely heal them up.

This way, it would keep Akashi from going after him for a while.

As Kuroko strolled through the similar walkways, he closed his eyes to focus on finding the spell used to control the white dragons. All he needed to do was search for a place overflowing with magic.

Kuroko hummed to himself, head tilted.

There were a few of those places spread out around the palace. There was one to the left further ahead, another located quite a distance away. It was probably in the basements. Right on top of the palace, there was one too.

"Which one is it?" Kuroko murmured.

"I doubt it's the one on top… But then again, the emperor might be crazy enough to place it there. Let's see… When I first found the white dragon, she was in some sort of cage underground. She was old and strong, which meant that it was much harder for the emperor to control her."

Kuroko blinked open his eyes with a smile.

"Alright, I will choose the one in the basement. It's natural to place the controlling spell near the victim for a greater power, after all."

Kuroko casted magic beneath his feet, lifting himself into the air. He decided to fly there instead of running. Flying magic came easily to him, and he didn't tire quickly either. Not to mention, it was a much faster way of travel.

He only took about two minutes to reach his destination. Resting a hand on the door in front of him, Kuroko easily casted a magic that destroyed the door – turning it into dust. Stepping over the mess, he entered the room.

"Ah, is that it?"

Kuroko stared at the magic sigil floating in the middle of the room.

"It does seem like a strong spell indeed. Though, that is to be expected."

Kuroko approached the sigil, stopping right in front of it.

"I'll destroy it." He softly declared.

The ground shook terribly, cracks spreading out from under his feet. A brilliant silver-blue magic circle appeared behind him, matching the other magic spell in size.

"This should be enough." Kuroko nodded to himself in satisfaction. "Now then, _destroy it._ "

The entire room lit up, filled with blinding light.

The ground roared as it split open from the magic force, and Kuroko distantly noted that crevices probably appeared all around the area of the palace. Oh well, it didn't matter if a couple of people died from the sudden breaking of the earth. Didn't Akashi mention something about how he made preparations for the other humans? Then, they should have been prepared to die.

Because this was an all-out war.

As the light dimmed, the emperor's dragon-control spell began to fall apart piece by piece. They burst into little white flames as they fell, erasing it. A moment later, the spell had completely disintegrated.

Kuroko's body suddenly jerked, and he gasped as he felt the little path that connected him to the white dragon – through Akashi's power – shatter. His body glowed faintly for a few seconds.

Kuroko blinked, staring down at his hands.

…It was done.

He had completed it, the promise.

He could tell; the white dragon's soul that was still within this world was now gone.

She had vanished.

And now…

Now he was truly free.

Kuroko pressed a shaking palm against his face, lips curling up into a smile.

It started off slowly and soft, just little indiscernible noises.

But soon enough, it grew into full blown laughter.

His hand fell away from his face as he tilted his head up.

"…Free."

His eyes widened, gazing at nothing as a beaming smile overtook his face.

"I am free!"


	36. Chapter 36

A little ball of blue light zipped down the hallways.

Upon looking closer, it was not just a ball of light but rather, a small wolf pup created through magic. This was Aomine's specialised magic, used exclusively for tracking. It was because of this magic that he even came into contact with the First Emperor back then.

Aomine was in the lead, with the rest of the group following behind him as they raced to catch up to the wolf pup. The wolf was set to sniff out Akashi's location. The closer they were to Akashi, the faster the wolf ran.

"What use is there for a magic tracker that leaves its owner behind as it chases after the target?" Kise grumbled, slightly out of breath.

"Shut up. It's not like I can control it." Aomine replied back.

"But it's your tracker! Do something about it!" Kise shouted in frustration.

"Stop fighting. Save your breath and focus on running, you idiots." Midorima cut in, displeased.

Conversation grounded to a halt, all desperately running after the ridiculously fast wolf pup. They had long left the palace army behind, though Murasakibara did throw out a barrier to prevent them from following too quickly just in case.

The wolf sharply curved to the left, and curses spilled from Aomine's lips as he promptly changed directions. He nearly collided into a wall, and he wasn't the only one. Lowly hissed grumbles came from all those a step behind him as well.

The little blue magic tracker was headed straight for a door. Two seconds later, it vanished inside.

Upon seeing that, all of them rushed towards the door, nearly tumbling over each other in their haste.

As they screeched to a stop – gasping for air – they found themselves in a partially destroyed room. And there, the very person they were looking for was crouched on the ground, staring at the cutely panting wolf pup seated beside him.

Akashi raised his head, taking in their appearances. He reached out a hand, dispelling the magic tracker with a single tap of his finger on the wolf's forehead. He never once looked away from them even as he did that.

His eyes were cold and hard, with a frown on his face. His gaze settled on each of them, pausing on Aomine first, and then Kise.

"I see your power has increased." He commented.

"Ah… Yes. Due to some circumstances, we ended up drinking dragon's blood."

"Is that so?" Akashi glanced away, attention drawn elsewhere.

Midorima followed his gaze, and blinked when he noticed two other people resting against a crumbling pillar.

"Nijimura?" Aomine gasped, quickly running over to him.

"He is fine now. The injury was quite severe, but because it was cleanly made, healing it wasn't too difficult. Though, it was considerably time-consuming." Akashi quietly reported.

Nijimura sluggishly blinked open his eyes.

It took a couple for blinks before he could focus.

"…Aomine?"

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, thanks to Akashi healing me." Nijimura replied. He turned his head to the right, at where Kiyoshi was placed beside him, still unconscious.

"…Who did this to you?" Aomine asked, his eyes wide.

The one who answered Aomine was not Nijimura, but instead, it was Akashi.

"Kuroko Tetsuya."

"The new kid?"

Akashi gave a curt nod. "Or rather, he _was_ the new member. He has lost himself, and is no longer a part of the rebels."

"What?" Kise gasped.

Akashi stood up smoothly, and turned to Kise.

"It seems he has awakened his full power, and has lost the ability to make correct judgements. To prevent a cataclysm from descending upon this world, I will erase him."

Kise's mouth fell open, his eyes filling with horror.

"Y-y-you… A-are you saying that you will kill Kurokocchi?"

"Yes."

"No, you can't!"

"Ryouta, you have not seen with your own eyes the monster he has become. As he is now, he cannot be saved."

"But maybe, if we try to reason with him – "

"Kise Ryouta."

Kise's mouth involuntarily clammed shut at the look Akashi directed at him.

Satisfied that Kise wasn't going to pointlessly argue with him anymore, Akashi turned his head to look behind him. His gaze settled on the still bound up emperor. But the difference now was that the emperor was awake and sitting up. He faced the front again, and addressed the rebel group members before him.

"Kuroko Tetsuya has fallen into insanity and has gone berserk within the palace. The explosion earlier was caused by him. The bond I placed between Kuroko and the white dragon's soul has been severed. Somehow or another, he had fulfilled the promise he made. Therefore, he is no longer chained down by anything. Letting him run about, completely unrestrained like this is very concerning."

Akashi spun around lightly, focusing on the emperor.

"But right now, this gives me perfect opportunity to deal with the First Emperor."

He stepped towards the emperor, who was trembling violently as he stared up at the approaching Akashi.

Akashi stopped right in front of the emperor, glaring down at him.

"For countless years, you have controlled the people as you wish. Rather than ruling as a true emperor, you chose underhanded methods to get people to submit to you. By doing so, it is already a violation of this world's laws. But still, you did not stop, and this time, you have even sacrificed both humans and Dark Creatures for your own selfish wants. You are nothing more than a pitiable, foolish man clinging onto the throne that no longer belongs to you."

Akashi's heterochromatic gaze pinned the emperor down in his place, where he was unable to even move an inch under the intensity of those merciless eyes.

"I am Akashi Seijuurou, a Sleeping God tasked with your annihilation. First Emperor, your reign has gone on for too long. It is time for you to sleep for an eternity."

"N-n-no! D-d-don't you dare! I will – "

"Resistance is futile." Akashi cut him off as his left eye took on an eerie glow.

He stretched out his hand, resting his fingertips on the emperor's forehead. And then the area around the two of them exploded with light. A magic circle appeared over their heads, not overly large, accompanied by a pillar of light that shot out to completely envelop the two of them.

An overwhelming power burst out together with that light, so strong that no one could even attempt to look at it. It wasn't blindingly bright, but still, due to the suffocating pressure of that display of power, everyone had to turn their heads away from Akashi.

Even the emperor himself had to shut his eyes.

"…Oh? You are quite a cautious man, First Emperor." Akashi suddenly murmured.

Try as he might, the emperor still couldn't open his eyes.

"You have separated yourself, haven't you? I can see a thread of soul connecting to somewhere else. In this host, only half on your actual soul is here. The other half is hidden away, isn't it?"

Akashi hummed, tilting his head.

"Well, no matter. I can drag out this half of your soul now and hunt down the other half later on."

"No! Stop!" The First Emperor's desperate cry was ignored as Akashi softly chanted an incantation in an indiscernible language.

A blood-curdling scream tore through the palace.

Akashi ripped out the First Emperor's soul, containing it in a glowing square of light.

The emperor's body violently jerked and then fell to the side the next instant, the magic bindings around him slowly fading away. Akashi tucked the glowing square into his clothes. It was strange indeed, one would have expected his clothes to carry a faint glow because of it, but it was as though the square had been placed into a different dimension of sorts, it completely vanished, leaving nothing behind.

Akashi glanced at Nijimura, who was the first to recover from being in contact with his power.

"…Sleeping God?" Nijimura whispered.

Akashi gave him a small smile, and the slightest of a nod.

"It should be fine now, the original owner of the body will return the next time he regains consciousness." Akashi gestured to the emperor.

Nijimura turned his head to follow the direction where Akashi pointed.

"…Will he remember all that he has done while under the control of the First Emperor?" Nijimura asked.

"Perhaps he may. You will have to ask him if you want to know, because this is something that even I am unsure of." Akashi replied.

"I see."

Akashi paused for a moment, then said, "Nijimura Shuuzo, Kiyoshi Teppei."

"How scary. I wasn't even awake for more than ten seconds and you could already tell." Kiyoshi chuckled, slowly opening up his eyes.

Akashi smiled. "I have a favour to ask of both of you."

"A favour?"

"Yes. Because both of you are aware of what's truly happening, I could easily remove the First Emperor from its host. It allowed me to change my strategy and make it easier for me to complete my task. Therefore, as siblings of the current emperor, I would like for the two of you to gather the people and explain everything that has happened to them once this is over."

Nijimura and Kiyoshi frowned, not saying anything in reply to his request.

Akashi understood their concerns. It would be difficult to expect the people to believe such an outrageous story such as the emperor being controlled by his ancestor.

"I will leave it to you to decide how much you are going to tell the people, but you have to make sure that the people understand that none of this is done willingly by the current emperor; Imayoshi Shouichi. Once I have found and captured the other half of the First Emperor, the large ranged hypnosis spell will be removed. Because this involves the royal family, I will leave it all in your hands."

"Do you think the people will still accept Imayoshi as the emperor after they learnt of everything?" Nijimura murmured to himself, eyebrows knitting together as he thought.

Still, Akashi decided to answer him.

"I do not know. Besides, did Imayoshi Shouichi even want to be emperor in the first place? He did rule for a short period of time, but even during then, the First Emperor was already within him. Was his actions truly his own? Why don't you have a talk with him? Perhaps, a change in emperors may be a good thing."

Akashi received firm nods in response to his suggestion.

"Now then." Akashi turned to face the rebel group members. "It is time to deal with Kuroko Tetsuya. Searching for the other half of the First Emperor's soul is easy, so the priority will be the elimination of Kuroko Tetsuya."

Akashi left the throne room immediately after that, not even staying long enough to watch their reactions to his words.

Because he knew that they won't be able to disobey his orders.

* * *

Kuroko frowned.

He had felt the release of Akashi's power earlier, and that scream that echoed in the palace. He must have done something to the emperor while Kuroko was away. Did he kill him? Kuroko shook his head. No, Akashi wouldn't kill him. Instead, he probably did as he had said and removed the First Emperor's soul.

Kuroko was annoyed that Akashi had stolen his prey, but he couldn't do anything about that anymore.

Right now, he was flying towards another area within the place that was filled with an astounding amount of magic. Perhaps there would be something interesting there.

The deeper he made his way into the palace, the more familiar it became.

Yes, this route that he was taking now… He had once passed this exact path. Encouraged, Kuroko sped up and shot towards his destination.

He blinked as he came upon a spacious room with high ceilings. But there was a strange deep darkness in this place. Curious, Kuroko quickly entered the room. He didn't worry about being careless and triggering whatever 'guards' were placed here, because as he was now, he was almost invincible.

In fact, Kuroko was itching for a fight with Akashi.

He wondered who the stronger one between them was.

He walked around the room, and finally came to a stop before a large gem embedded into the wall. He could feel immense magic power coming from it.

"Should I tear it out?" Kuroko mumbled to himself.

The gem flickered, shinning brighter.

"Hm?"

Kuroko blinked, focusing on the gem.

"What was that? Did it just shine brighter?"

As though to prove Kuroko's words, the gem glowed even brighter.

Kuroko reached out, resting one hand on the gem.

It was warm.

There was a strange heat coming from the gem.

Kuroko grinned.

"You're not just any ordinary gem, are you? Even if one fills a gem with magic power, it wouldn't contain such warmth. There must be something else that is hidden inside this gem."

Kuroko moved back a few steps.

"Let's see, what shall I use? I can't recklessly destroy the wall since the gem might be affected. In that case, how about some fire? I can use wind magic with that to prevent any flames from accidentally breaking the gem… Alright!"

With an excited smile, he began chanting a familiar incantation.

A silver-blue magic circle appeared above his head, almost the same size as the gem spanning the entire wall. Under his feet, another circle formed, and Kuroko connected the two with a single thread of silver magic.

"Ravaging Inferno."

A burst of white flames shot out from the circle above his head, and the one under his feet glowed as the flames were contained within a spiral of wind. The magic spells sliced through the wall like it was made out of flimsy paper, and soon enough, the huge gem fell out of the wall with a low rumble.

Kuroko dispelled his magic, squinting at the dark hole in the wall.

He threw a little ball of fire into the hole, to light it up. The black hole was seemingly endless, similar to the one Kuroko had created.

"Oh." Kuroko breathed, eyes alight with curiosity.

He wanted to enter it, wanted to see where it would lead to.

But a soft clink tore his attention away, and he glanced down at his feet. The gem was lying face down, and before Kuroko's eyes, little cracks began to spread across the surface of the gem. It didn't break, but watching the gem cracking like this didn't seem like a good thing.

And then a sudden loud roar echoed throughout the palace.

Kuroko stumbled, barely catching himself in time as the palace tilted onto one side. The impact shook the entire palace, and fractures immediately formed on everything, with little bits of concrete falling from the ceilings.

"What was that?" Kuroko's eyes narrowed as he created a barrier with wind magic to redirect the falling pieces of concrete away from him.

"Did the palace sink in to the ground? Did the earth give way? But that's strange… The impact didn't feel as though it was sinking in."

Maybe he should check on what's going on outside?

Kuroko hummed, shattering a window and quickly flying out of the palace.

From the sky, he stared down with wide eyes.

Below the palace was a massive hole, where the earth had caved in on itself. And the entire palace was floating above that hole, or rather, only one side of it was. The other end of the palace had crashed into the corners of the hole, smashing quite a bit of the building. Now that he was outside, he could clearly sense the magic casted on the palace.

"…Did that gem control the magic?" Kuroko frowned. "But it's really strange. If all it did was to control the magic, why was the gem radiating heat? There must be something else, something I am unaware of."

Thankfully, the side of the palace that contained the gem was still safely floating.

Kuroko turned around and entered the room again.

He lightly landed onto the ground, staring down at the shinning gem expressionlessly.

It was only a moment later that he heard the sounds of multiple footsteps coming his way. Kuroko's back was to the doorway, and he simply turned his head to look behind as he waited silently.

The footsteps got louder and louder the closer they came.

And the first one stepping through the doorway was someone very, very familiar.

Their eyes met.

Kuroko smiled.

"So you came to me?" He spoke up first.

And he received a reply in a tone as cold as ice. "Yes. I expected to find you here, because you are very adept at creating chaos, Kuroko Tetsuya."

"Of course. Don't you remember the words you said to me not too long ago? You said that I'm a being that will bring death and ruin to everything."

"Indeed. You are something that should have never been born."

"How harsh. Though it would be a lie if I said that I wasn't expecting those words from you. After all, with you being what you are, it's only natural."

Kuroko turned around slowly, placing himself into a position where he could fully face the person before him.

A little smirk formed on his lips.

"Isn't that right, Sleeping God Akashi Seijuurou?"


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N:**

 **To chuyachups:** Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying it. And as for the dragon contract, it's still there. However, the reason as to why the black dragon didn't appear will be explained later on.

* * *

"K-K-Kurokocchi?"

Kuroko shifted his gaze from Akashi to the doorway, where the rest of the slightly slower rebel group members finally arrived.

Kise was first, followed by Midorima, Aomine and Murasakibara.

Kise was staring at Kuroko like he couldn't believe the person before him was truly Kuroko, and Kuroko took much amusement in that.

"Kise Ryouta." Kuroko greeted him.

"…Kurokocchi, you… Did you lose control again?"

"I did not. I simply awakened my full power."

"But…"

Kuroko sighed, turning away from Kise. He wasn't in the mood to have this conversation.

He stared at the large gem on the floor, blinking once. Then, he lifted his head towards Akashi.

"Do you know the true nature of this gem, Akashi Seijuurou?"

"Even if I do know, I have no plans to tell you."

"I see, so you do know."

Akashi narrowed his eyes at Kuroko.

Kuroko tilted his head. "Why won't you tell me? Is it because you fear me?"

"That is not it. Your ability to make a mess is troubling, so the less knowledge you hold, the better it is."

"Hm." Kuroko crouched down, resting a hand on the gem. "Well, I do have my own suspicions. And your ambiguous words actually helped me to confirm it."

Akashi did not reply, though his body did tense up.

"This gem is in fact, a very ordinary jewel. But the thing inside is not ordinary at all, right? It's not magic, it couldn't be magic, because there is a warmth coming from it. And when I pulled it out from the wall, this whole palace had destabilised. Mere magic is unable to do such a thing."

Kuroko grinned, stroking the gem lightly with his fingertips.

"The thing inside this gem is the First Emperor's soul, isn't it?"

Kuroko's eyes stared straight at Akashi, focused and not missing even the tiniest movement. But Akashi was formidable indeed, he didn't so much as twitch. Still, Kuroko lightly chuckled.

"Earlier, when I was away, I felt your burst of power. You must have dealt with the First Emperor then, but after that, you realised that the First Emperor wasn't whole, and so you started searching for the missing soul, right?"

Kuroko stood up.

"With a man that is obsessed with ruling, I knew that he would be overly cautious when it came to his well-being. He was naïve and reckless, because he was certain that everything would work out in the end, as long as the other half of his soul wasn't discovered."

Kuroko hummed, facing Akashi.

"So then, are you going to let me destroy this soul, Akashi Seijuurou? Or will you fight me, to protect this soul, to protect your duty?"

"I have been tasked with the First Emperor's annihilation, and I will not allow anyone to interfere." Akashi replied.

"I see."

Kuroko took a step forward, the air around him beginning to crackle.

"Then, that means that you will have to fight me for it. Come, prepare yourself. Give me a worthwhile fight, Akashi-kun."

* * *

"Uwahh!"

Kise cried out as he dodged a wayward spell.

Akashi's and Kuroko's inevitable fight had him looking on in dread, the room they were in somehow staying in one piece due to the emperor's magic.

Kiyoshi had told them that the entire palace was fortified by the First Emperor's magic, and was only spared disaster due to it. It even survived the explosion of magic from both Kuroko and Akashi, which clearly told of the emperor's strength.

The ground shook again, nearly causing Kise to fall backwards, as another spell was shot.

He stared up at where Kuroko was floating, joined by Akashi, dozens of magic circles around them.

The Kuroko he knew was no longer the same. It was very different from the time he lost control, this Kuroko was a terrifying demon. He had eyes of a monster, astounding magic capabilities, and a cruel temperament.

To Kise, it didn't look like Kuroko was fighting for the emperor's soul contained within the gem, but rather, he only fought against Akashi because he wanted to test Akashi's strength.

"Midorimacchi, is there any way to bring Kurokoccchi back to normal?"

"I don't know. I have never encountered something like this before."

"How in the world did Kurokocchi become like this? That First Emperor must have done something!"

Midorima frowned. "Do you mean a hypnosis?"

"What else? This is not Kurokocchi! We have been with him for quite a while, so I can say for sure that this is not Kurokocchi!"

"Hm, I don't think so." Murasakibara spoke up.

"Eh?" Kise blinked.

"I don't think this is anything like a hypnosis." Murasakibara explained. "Kuro-chin has always been very strong, and what I see now, is an unrestrained release of that power. There is a chance that Kuro-chin may have been swallowed up by his own power."

Midorima nodded. "Yes, that seems more likely."

"Swallowed up by his own power, eh." Aomine commented, eyes fixed on Kuroko. "That's a really strong kid, isn't he? Impressive. However, at the same time, he is extraordinarily weak. The moment there is the slightest doubt, it is enough to become overwhelmed by the power he holds. Only those who are truly strong, physically and mentally, could ever resist being swallowed."

Kise turned to face Aomine.

"Is there a way to bring Kurokocchi back?" Kise asked.

Aomine shook his head.

"Of course not. There's nothing we can do to help. The only hope we have is to rely on Akashi."

"But Akashicchi will not bring Kurokocchi back! Akashicchi will kill Kurokocchi!"

"Do you really think so?" Aomine raised an eyebrow at Kise.

Kise glared. "Of course! Didn't you hear what Akashicchi said earlier?"

"Really?" Aomine hummed. His gaze shifted from a joyfully attacking Kuroko to the serious Akashi. "Then, why has their fight gone on for so long?" Aomine softly asked Kise.

"What do you mean?"

"Akashi Seijuurou is a Sleeping God, one who is made to handle souls. It would be easy for him to distract this Kuroko Tetsuya, and steal the soul from the gem. However, Akashi is not doing that." Aomine tilted his head.

Midorima reached up to adjust his glasses, narrowed eyes staring up at Akashi.

"True. If Akashi really did this because he had to get the soul from the gem, this fight would've ended in minutes. But… Akashi has not once attempted to do so, instead, he is fighting Kuroko."

"Right?" Aomine chuckled. "If you truly want to kill someone, isn't choosing a method that is the most convenient for you a natural thing to do? You won't waste time with meaningless moves, unless, there is a hidden agenda that you want to achieve."

Kise stared, first at Aomine, then at Midorima and then back again. After that, he lifted his head to look at Akashi.

Skeptical, Kise softly murmured, "But what if… What if, Kurokocchi is somehow managing to seal off Akashicchi? Kurokocchi is unlike anything we have seen before, so what if he is preventing Akashicchi from taking the soul and ending this quickly?"

Midorima frowned. "It is true that Kuroko is something none of us have ever encountered before." With a thoughtful hum, Midorima shook his head. "But still, as a being who is under the direct control of the Higher Calling, even if Akashi is bombarded on all sides or robbed of his sight, he will still manage to easily draw out a soul that is a distance away.

"His existence is absolute and undeniable, a being that's cruel yet merciful. That is what it means to be called a 'God'."

Midorima glanced at Kise out of the corner of his eyes. "Perhaps Akashi is doing this because he too, wants to bring Kuroko back? Though he's not showing it."

Kise gaped at Midorima, stupefied.

A sudden violent explosion startled all of them, and they were unable to even react before they were sent flying out from the room due to the impact. Kise landed hard on his back, knocking the air out of him. But he managed to gather himself quickly, immediately looking around.

The walls within the palace had been completely blown apart, leaving gaping holes in their place. Kise turned his head, noticing the main doors of the palace not too far away. They were currently in the very place where they had first encountered the emperor's army.

But now, the place was completely empty.

Where did the hundred or so people vanish to?

Kise didn't even have time to think before something crashed into the ground beside him. Through the clearing smoke, Kise struggled to make out the figure buried in the ground.

…Kuroko!

Kise gasped, pushing himself to his feet. He barely got his feet underneath him when a loud _boom_ rang out, and Kuroko shot back into the air, a frown on his face as he glared at Akashi. Soon enough, that frown changed into a smile as Kuroko's eyes flicked over to Kise.

Kise was yanked back and a barrier casted over him just as a tremendously strong spell was fired in his direction. The barrier shattered, and was swiftly replaced in the next second.

"Kise-chin, are you stupid? Why would you approach a crazy Kuro-chin?"

"Eh? Murasakibaracchi? Ah… That's… Just now, Kurokocchi was stuck in the ground… I wanted to help him."

"You idiot!" Aomine roared. "Didn't you see the way he targeted you without any hesitation? To help him now means getting killed, stupid!"

All four of them were encased in Murasakibara's barrier, staying close to each other so that Murasakibara did not have to spread out his magic too far.

Akashi had intervened the second after Kuroko had fired a spell in their direction, managing to intercept most of it and distracting Kuroko enough that they were spared another attack. Murasakibara's barrier was not enough to stop the current Kuroko, and would have surely caused all of them to be killed if Akashi didn't help them.

"Kurokocchi, please stop this!"

Unknowingly, a desperate plea slipped from Kise's lips.

Kuroko paid no heed towards those words, flying higher instead. Kise could only look on in horror as Kuroko spread out his arms, lips moving as he chanted out an incantation.

A massive sliver circle appeared behind him, lined with a beautiful light blue. That wasn't all, the incantation spilling from his lips never ceased, and then four more magic circles took form at the corners of the main circle. They were blurry at first, but rapidly came into focus.

Akashi had immediately fallen still upon the sight of the forming circles, and began chanting a spell of his own to counter it.

Kise wasn't stupid enough to not recognise the circles Kuroko was calling forth.

Water, earth, fire and wind.

The four major elemental magic. Their power comes from nature itself, from this very world. Unleashing all four types of nature magic at once was unheard of, since there have never been anyone capable of such a feat.

Magic that draws power from nature was the strongest, and the deadliest.

Just one spell from nature, like the fire spell Kuroko seemed to favour, was enough to cause devastating effects.

Using all four nature spells at once…

The entire world would be obliterated.

"He's gone completely insane!" Aomine shouted.

In response to Aomine, an uncharacteristic curse came from Murasakibara.

Midorima, Aomine and Murasakibara all immediately thrust their hands forward, shouting out their incantations as they called for the strongest magic they have. Kise's magic was too weak compared to the rest, but that didn't stop him. He too, chanted a spell.

No matter how weak, magic was magic. And with the additional magic from Kise, perhaps they would be able to somehow survive the release of the magic Kuroko was planning to use.

Akashi would surely do his best to cancel out Kuroko's magic, but they couldn't burden him with their protection at the same time. They would do anything, even if it meant sacrificing their limbs, to hold out against this insane magic, to protect themselves…

… _To survive._

A bright explosion of light consumed the entire palace, the forest around it, and even the villages closest to the royal palace.


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N:**

 **To eanniemae:** Aww, so sweet! Thank you! (:

Only one more chapter left until the end! Enjoy~

* * *

Kise stirred awake, his limbs heavy and weak. It took a couple of tries before he managed to move his arm. From there, it was a slow process of getting the rest of his body to respond. After fighting his way into a sitting position, he finally raised his head to look around.

The palace was practically gone, and it was no longer floating in the air. Only a quarter of the palace survived the explosion, the very place they were in. It had also been lowered to the ground, just behind the massive crater caused by Kuroko earlier.

Everything had been wiped out; the greenery that once grew abundantly had all been reduced to dust. The earth was scorched a deep black, stretching on for miles and miles, to the point where Kise couldn't see any part of the earth that was spared the disaster.

There was also a sizzling coming from the ground, accompanied by little wisps of smoke.

Kise tore his gaze away, searching around him.

Midorima, Aomine and Murasakibara were lying not too far away. They were shifting slightly, with the softest groans accompanying each laboured breath they took. They were covered in wounds, but thankfully, it didn't look deep. A movement from the corner of his eyes caught Kise's attention, and he immediately whipped his head to the side.

A sigh of relief left his lips as he recognised the forms of Nijimura and Kiyoshi. They must have been making their way towards the fight earlier, while dragging along the emperor too, though he still seems to be unconscious. Looks like removing the First Emperor's soul took a great deal on the body of the host. But that aside, they had made the right choice in leaving, because the throne room they were in earlier had been blown into smithereens.

Ah, that's right.

Where was Akashi and Kuroko?

Kise quickly turned the other way, trying to find their figures through the haze.

He squinted his eyes, alert for any signs of movements.

His efforts paid off as something shifted, and he focused his attention on it. The figures were blurry, but with how quickly the air was clearing up, it only took a minute before Kise could see clearly.

And it revealed the two men that he was seeking.

Akashi and Kuroko stood face to face, silently staring at each other.

Akashi's state left Kise in deep shock. His clothes were tattered, and every bare inch of skin was covered in cuts. Moreover, it seemed like he had narrowly avoided a deep wound that would have surely blinded him. From the large gash on his forehead, dark red blood slowly trickled down to his chin.

In contrast, Kuroko only sustained minor wounds.

Neither of them look away, not even blinking.

Kise was rooted to the spot, unable to move, unable to even speak as he watched on.

And then, almost in slow motion, one of them collapsed to their knees.

Kuroko.

His body hunched over as deep, harsh coughs wracked his frame. A terrible shudder shook his body and then he was throwing up blood. Tons of blood. And that was not all; his flesh began to tear apart in disturbingly orderly lines, rapidly crawling along his body, as though it was trying to destroy itself from inside out.

Akashi only took a single step forward before Kuroko abruptly swayed and crashed to the ground, unconscious.

And in the next instant, Akashi was crouching over Kuroko's limp body, incantations falling from his lips. Magic circles appeared around them, and Kise recognised them. They were healing circles.

Kise pushed himself up, forcing his numb body to obey. He couldn't quite control his body well, not when he was unable to even feel the ground each time he placed his foot forward. But he persevered, stumbling his way over to them on unsteady feet.

"What just happened?" Kise whispered once he was close enough.

Akashi did not even glance at him as he answered, "He went over the limit."

"Limit?"

"His magic power is so strong that his body is unable to contain it all. I've told him before that he would bring about chaos and eventually self-destruct. What you are seeing right now is exactly that. He has gone over the limits of his body and is now steadily being killed by his own power."

Kise's eyes widened in disbelief. It was only after Akashi explained that he recalled Kuroko saying something similar. That conversation that they had regarding the nature of Kuroko's power felt like it was a lifetime ago.

There was the sudden presence of people around him, and Kise quickly raised his head. Everyone was awake now, and had made their way over as well. Midorima was standing right behind him though, staring down at Kuroko blankly.

"What…? Why… What's with that absurd amount of blood?" He murmured, taking in the puddle of blood Kuroko was laying in with wide-eyed shock. "And Kuroko's body is…"

"To put it simply, it's a consequence. An overwhelming power combined with a body that does not know its limits… This is a disaster waiting to happen. I had wanted to avoid this." Akashi said.

Murasakibara moved, crouching down beside Kuroko. He placed something onto Kuroko's chest, and Akashi raised an eyebrow at it before nodding in approval. At once, both Midorima and Kise did the same. They placed the healing charms Midorima had made for them on Kuroko, and Midorima joined Akashi in casting healing spells.

But even after all the charms were gone, even after Akashi's and Midorima's combined healing spells, the abnormal amount of blood Kuroko was losing never ceased. His breathing and heartbeat were steadily growing faint.

"Those spells alone really doesn't seem to be enough. How about trying that vial of blood you used earlier?" Aomine spoke up, frowning as he watched the already pale body turning even paler by the second.

Akashi lifted his head, shooting Aomine a questioning look. "This," Aomine pulled out the vial from within the folds of his clothes, "I heard that this was dragon's blood, so maybe it will work?"

"This too." Midorima snatched up the pouch by his waist, shaking out the last dragon scale. "I used a scale and the blood together to bring Aomine back to life earlier. Maybe this can help stop Kuroko's bleeding and heal him up."

"You brought him back to life?" Akashi questioned, head tilted in curiosity. But before Midorima could explain, Akashi quickly continued, "Tell me about it later. Right now, we should focus on Kuroko."

Midorima nodded.

After mixing together the items and pouring it down Kuroko's throat, the bleeding finally stopped. But the wounds weren't healing.

"Do we need more?" Murasakibara asked.

"I don't know. But how many times can a person consume a dragon's scale and blood safely in a day?" Midorima returned the question with one of his own. "Not to mention, we don't even know where the dragon is right now."

Akashi's eyebrows knitted together as he frowned. "To make it worse, only Kuroko is able to telepathically communicate with the dragon."

"Shall I go search for the black dragon?" Kise offered.

Akashi hummed, face grim as he stared down at Kuroko. Then he shook his head. "You don't have to. For now, this is fine." He said. "Though the wounds are still there, they're not bleeding anymore."

"We still have other things to settle, so – " Akashi shifted, making to stand up. But just before he rose to his feet, Kuroko's eyes opened.

"Kuroko?" Akashi immediately called out to him, falling still.

Kuroko turned his head slightly, struggling to focus. It took multiple blinks before he could meet Akashi's eyes.

A moment of silent staring later, Kuroko softly whispered three words, "I am sorry."

"For what?" Akashi's voice was carefully soft.

"I am aware of everything that happened, but somehow, I just couldn't stop. It's not that I didn't want to, I just… I couldn't. However, through the fight with you, I was able to regain my body. …I wonder if it's because my body has given up and is destroying itself?" Kuroko mused, lips quirking up in the slightest of a smile. He continued on, "I'm sorry for causing so much trouble. Even now, I'm troubling you. I'm grateful that you healed me up enough that I can relay these words to you, before you kill me."

Akashi frowned. "Do you think I enjoy playing with life so much that I will spend this much effort to heal a person up, only to kill them a moment later?"

Kuroko blinked, slow and lethargic.

"But didn't you say that I am a threat? That you had to kill me to save the world from my path of destruction?"

"Indeed, I did say that. But the you right now is not a threat, isn't that so?"

"How can you know for sure?" Kuroko murmured.

Akashi lightly tapped a finger between Kuroko's eyebrows. "Your eyes, they have returned."

Kuroko simply stared at Akashi, silently asking for him to explain. And Akashi obliged. "A person's eyes cannot hide one's nature, regardless of how monstrous it appears. The eyes you had before, clearly told of your wish to destroy everything. But halfway into our fight, I saw _you_ and that's when I knew that you hadn't been completely swallowed up by your own power. So I took a chance to draw you out."

"You knew from the start that I had lost control?"

Akashi smirked, though it actually appeared to be strangely gentle. "Who do you think I am? I always knew that you have been restraining your power in order to remain sane. Back then, I gave you restraints made from my power to give you some relief from always having to be on alert, though it gave you pain in exchange."

Kuroko's eyes widened a little.

Akashi continued, "But when I first came upon you in your madness, I wasn't sure if the actual you had vanished for good, so I had to take precautions."

"That was the reason why you told me you had to kill me?"

"Yes."

"I see."

Kuroko's eyes slowly slid shut, clearly exhausted.

"…Thank you, Akashi-kun." He mumbled before falling back into a deep sleep.

Akashi gazed at the sleeping Kuroko for a moment, and then raised his head.

Kise and the rest had remained silent during the entire conversation with Kuroko, they didn't even mind that Kuroko hadn't so much as glanced at them, since he was already having a difficult time just trying to have a conversation with one person.

"During the last attack, I managed to save the gem that the First Emperor's soul was placed in," Akashi said. "And now, it's finally time to end things. I'm going to go retrieve it. Midorima, I will leave the rest to you."

Midorima nodded. "Yes, I understand."

* * *

"Oh, I see. I thought it was strange." Midorima stared down at the ground, frowning. "This explains why Kuroko was able to rampage around without interruptions."

What he was staring at was the black dragon, who had collapsed onto its side, unconscious.

The dragon bore deep wounds, enough that Midorima felt mildly worried. There were even patches where handfuls of scales were ripped out, revealing bloody pink flesh. Upon closer inspection, one eye was injured too. Midorima did not know the extent of it, but he hoped that the dragon wasn't blinded.

"As expected, experience does play a very important role. No matter how much strength one carries, without the experience and knowledge to wield it, that strength only becomes worthless." Midorima muttered to himself while adjusting his glasses.

The dragon was wedged inside a deep crack, probably caused by the impact of his large body slamming into the ground with astounding force. A few large trees had fallen over as well, as though to trap the dragon in. If the dragon was awake, those trees would be sent flying with just a sweep of its tail, however, the dragon wasn't conscious.

And it didn't seem like it was going to wake up anytime soon.

"The dragon doesn't seem to be dying, and I can blast those fallen trees away, but it's impossible to drag a dragon of this size back to the rebel's base." Midorima sighed. "What do I do with this now?"

" _If it's alright with you, please leave him to us."_

Midorima whipped around, surprised.

Four white dragons had gathered behind him without a sound, each of them bearing injuries of varying severity.

"…The palace white dragons." Midorima greeted.

" _Yes. Human man, do leave this black dragon to us. We will treat his wounds until he is completely recovered."_

"Why would you offer such a thing? Wasn't this dragon the one who was fighting against you? And I do recall that white dragons hate black dragons." Midorima questioned, suspicious.

" _It is true that we do not get along with black dragons, but this time, we can put aside our hatred. This young black dragon was injured by us while we were under the control of a despicable spell. Now that we are free, we will take responsibility for our actions."_

Midorima raised an eyebrow. "You would claim responsibility even when your actions were not of your own will?"

" _Yes. Because the truth cannot be avoided. This black dragon was deeply injured by us, regardless of the fact that we were not in control of ourselves."_

Midorima hummed, eyes travelling back to the wounded black dragon.

" _And besides, this black dragon has the destiny to become our leader. The mark of the jewels upon his forehead does not lie."_ The white dragon added.

Another white dragon spoke up, the one who was to the far left of Midorima. _"We can see that the black dragon has a contract with another human, but that matters not. Human lives are short, it is only a matter of time until that human dies. And when that happens, this black dragon shall assume his rightful role as one who leads the dragons."_

Midorima frowned. He was unable to find any reason to refuse the offer from the white dragons. Harsh as it may be, they only spoke the truth. Compared to a dragon, a human's life is indeed short. And to add to that, Kuroko's condition now wasn't good.

Also, they still had many, many things to settle.

The long fight with the First Emperor was finally over, but the cleaning up was not. There were tons of work left to be done.

" _We will promise to return him to the human who holds the other end of the contract in good health. And we will never betray a promise, so be at ease, human male."_

With a deep sigh, Midorima gave in.


	39. Final

**A/N:**

We have finally arrived at the last chapter!

To those who have followed me on this journey, really, you have my utmost gratitude. Especially those who took the time to review, it was your constant support and encouragement in my story that kept me going. Without you guys, I believe that I would not have had the strength to carry on until the end.

To date, this is my longest story yet. When I first started writing this, I honestly never expected it to grow to this length so it really came as a surprise. But I'm glad that I managed to complete this before the year came to an end. This huge monster took a lot out of me, so I probably won't be attempting another KNB chaptered story anytime soon.

Now then, please enjoy!

* * *

The world was in a state of complete chaos after the collapse of the palace.

Having to fill in the massive crater while rebuilding the palace at the same time, as well as carefully restoring the scorched earth and greenery; everything was a mess.

Not only that, but when the two princes truthfully explained everything to the people who were now free of the hypnosis, the members of royalty all suffered greatly. They were attacked day and night by the peasants as well as their own attendants. They hated the royalty, refused to cooperate, and called for the death of the emperor.

But even through all that, Nijimura and Kiyoshi did not give up, doing their best to convince the people to trust them again. With the efforts of Kiyoshi's fiancée, Aida Riko – who had been the only one to give her full support and trust – the people finally settled down.

That said, it still took months before there was any change.

And Akashi, true to his word, never once attempted to help them. He left it all in the hands of the royalty. After all, he was a Sleeping God. He wasn't someone that was governed by the human royalty. The only leader he had was the Higher Calling.

He didn't return to sleep after the completion of his task, instead, he chose to stay awake with his 'reason' being Kuroko Tetsuya. Since he let him live, he took it upon himself as his duty to monitor that existence.

He had brought everyone back to the rebel base, and gave them the option to either stay or leave. Of course, everyone stayed with him.

The sound of Akashi's footsteps against the polished floor were light yet loud, sufficiently announcing his presence.

The door to the room opened before he even reached it.

He nodded towards Midorima as he entered, coming to a stop before the bed.

Kuroko Tetsuya was sleeping peacefully, covered with countless scars from his neck down to his feet. And he has not woken up since then.

Akashi stared at him for a moment before reaching down to pick up one limp hand.

He pulled out a knife and slashed Kuroko's palm before Midorima could even process what was happening.

"Akashi!" With a cry of surprise, Midorima snatched the knife out of Akashi's hand. "What are you doing!"

"Relax, Midorima. I was just testing something." Akashi leisurely answered as he observe the wound.

"Testing? Just what kind of testing requires you to injure someone?"

Akashi turned to face Midorima, pulling out the handkerchief from Midorima's clothes to press it onto the wound he made. It wasn't deep, and blood flow was minimal.

"…As I thought." Akashi murmured.

"What's wrong?" Midorima questioned. "Is there someone wrong with Kuroko?"

"Take a look."

Akashi gestured for Midorima to look down at Kuroko's palm.

"…What?" Midorima frowned, confused.

"Have you forgotten? Kuroko Tetsuya has really impressive healing abilities, does he not?" Akashi hinted.

Midorima's eyes widened as he finally noticed.

"…Yes, he does. But that wound you made just now is not healing at all." Midorima observed.

"Indeed. And for such a shallow wound, the blood flow still isn't stopping. A healthy individual's wound would have stopped bleeding by now." Akashi nodded in approval and then casted magic to heal the small injury.

"This is probably because of what happened back then. He went over his limits, and his fate was to die. But I interfered with that, forcefully stopping him from dying. The body he has now is prove of that." Akashi gently placed Kuroko's hand back under the covers.

"He has lost his ability to heal his own injuries, including a normal person's natural healing. If he were to ever get injured now, no matter how slight, he will need to someone to heal him."

Midorima hummed. "Why not have him learn healing magic? Now that he has reached this stage, perhaps healing magic may be possible."

Akashi frowned. "Actually, that is another thing I am concerned with."

"What do you mean?"

With a sigh, Akashi explained, "I cannot sense any magic in him. I do not know if it's just buried, or that he has lost the capabilities to wield magic as well. The only way to know for sure is to have him test it out once he awakens."

"But…" Midorima didn't complete his sentence, however, Akashi still understood what he was trying to say.

"Yes, we do not know when he will awaken. It might take a couple more months, or even years. We can do nothing but wait."

* * *

"There hasn't been any change?" Kise asked.

"None." Murasakibara replied.

Kise lowered his arm to the table, staring down at his food listlessly.

"Kise-chin, you can't do that. You have to eat properly." Murasakibara scolded, though his words held no anger.

"I know, but… It's hard to eat."

"You should get used to it. If you are always like this, you won't last." Midorima chided as he placed a piece of meat into his mouth.

"But it's been four months!" Kise whined.

"Akashi said to be prepared, didn't he? He has never given a set time either."

"…But…"

"Here, Kise-chin. Eat. Even if you don't feel like it, you need to eat if you are to wait until the day Kuro-chin wakes up."

"…Okay."

* * *

"Midorimacchi? Where are you going?"

"The palace."

"Eh? Why?"

"Akashi wants a report on how things are going."

"Oh. He's keeping tabs on them to make sure there won't be any incidents like before, right? …But will they hand over a report on how the palace is so easily?"

"Momoi is there, she was given a position."

"Ah, that's right. She's there, isn't she? How long has it been?"

"About three and a half years now."

"Three years huh. There's no change in our sleeping beauty either."

"Hm."

"Midorimacchi…"

"What, Kise?"

"Will he ever wake up?"

"…No one knows for sure. Not even Akashi."

* * *

"Hey, Kurokocchi, can you hear me? I've heard that it's possible for sleeping patients to hear what's going on around them. Kurokocchi, won't you wake up anytime soon? The world was been restored, and there's peace once more. Everyone's happy now, both humans and the Dark Creatures. The world as it is now is very beautiful, you know. Aren't you curious, Kurokocchi?

"You are free now, you can go wherever you want. I can bring you to places you've never seen before; to a land where snow falls endlessly or to a place filled with sand as far as the eye can see. I will show you the world's most beautiful places, provide you with whatever it is that you seek.

"…So please, won't you wake up soon?"

* * *

"Oi, what are you doing?"

"Huh, Aominecchi? You're back?"

"Mm. What's that thing you're holding?"

"Ah, this? It's a bird I made out of magic. Akashicchi taught me."

"Heh. Not bad, huh. To think you're now able to use magic so easily."

"It's because I've been training really hard! And… And I think that Kurokocchi would be happy if he sees how much progress I've made. So…"

"Hm, I see."

* * *

"What, Kise. You have gotten slower. It's boring to spar with you now."

"Hah? I have not, you're the one who has gotten slower, Aominecchi!"

"Oh yeah? Then, what's with those cuts on your arms, huh? Did my sword fly there by itself to nick you?"

"Like hell you can talk! You have tons of cuts too!"

"Less than you though."

"Lies!"

"Heh. These past nine years really made you old, eh, Kise?"

"It has not! Tch! I will make sure to slice up your arms so bad until Midorimacchi has to heal them!"

"Try it if you can!"

* * *

"You really took you time, didn't you?" Akashi smiled.

"…Where…?"

"We are in the rebel base."

"The base? Why…?"

"It has become a home of sorts, I suppose. Everyone is here."

"Everyone? Then… Then is everything over?"

Akashi reached forward, carefully supporting the pale body to lean against the bed's headboard.

"Yes, everything is over. It has been twelve years since then."

"Eh? Twelve years?"

"You slept for a very long time, Kuroko."

Kuroko blinked up at Akashi, dumbfounded.

Akashi laid a hand on Kuroko's head, ruffling his hair.

"Welcome back."

* * *

Kuroko scratched the huge black snout before him, chuckling softly.

The dragon's rumbling growl of pleasure echoed lowly throughout the clearing. Akashi had filled him in on what had happened the past twelve years over the next few days.

His black dragon had been under the care of the palace's white dragons, who had only allowed the black dragon to leave once every single wound he has sustained was fully healed. It caused quite a bit of commotion, since the black dragon wanted to see Kuroko was soon as he could, heedless of his own injuries.

But the white dragons won against the black dragon, forcing him to sit still.

Kuroko had laughed when Akashi first told him, because it was as though the white dragons were acting as mothers disciplining a misbehaving child.

But when the black dragon returned and realised the state Kuroko was in, calling upon all the magic he knew, he tried all means to wake Kuroko, only to fail. Eventually, the black dragon too, had no other choice but to wait for Kuroko to awaken by his own power.

And as for the fallen royal family, it took years of effort before the people forgave them, with the emperor's seat being given to Kiyoshi Teppei. They had rebuild the palace too, but unlike before, it wasn't as fancy. It was still large, but rather than being used to show off their luxuries, there was a comfortable, homey feeling to it.

Such a palace was unheard of in their history, but it marked the turning point of the world.

Kuroko was glad.

He had yet to visit the palace, but he was thinking about it. He didn't know how they would react to his presence, especially after the things he did.

Kuroko made his way around the dragon, sitting himself down and settling against the dragon's side comfortably. The black dragon watched him through one eye, and then curled his tail around him, lightly tapping the ground in a rhythmic beat.

A soft smile crossed Kuroko's face.

He hummed under his breath as his thoughts shifted onto his current body.

As Akashi had concluded, Kuroko's body no longer healed. Any injury he received needed to be healed by someone else. And also, though he didn't lose all his magic abilities, he was at the level of a child. Trying to break a small pebble could exhaust him for a whole week.

His entire body was covered with scars from the time where his own power tried to kill him, and neither Akashi nor Midorima could make them go away. Kuroko didn't mind though, they served as prove of everything that had happened. The world was so peaceful now that sometimes, Kuroko wondered if he was still asleep and dreaming.

There was a secret that he was keeping from everyone else; the fact that he knew he didn't have long left to live. Perhaps it was because he had gone past his body's limit, and this was another consequence of it.

He didn't know when he would die exactly, but it was a guarantee that he had not much time left. He was hiding it, but he suspected Akashi knew. Or at least, he had his guesses. He never did ask Kuroko about it, which only strengthened Kuroko's suspicions.

That aside, there was also a sense of peace within him that he never felt before. It was strange and so very different from what he was used to. It took time, but eventually, Kuroko was able to accept the peace and _freedom_ that he had never known.

He sighed.

"So you were here."

Kuroko glanced up, blinking at Akashi who was walking towards him.

"It seems you have taken a liking to this clearing." Akashi commented.

Kuroko nodded. "It's nostalgic. I was drawn to it."

"I see."

"Ah! There you are, Kurokocchi! Murasakibaracchi made some snacks!" Kise ran in to the clearing, interrupting their conversation. He was holding on to a small basket, and Aomine, Midorima, Murasakibara all followed closely behind.

"It's really easy to find you, Tetsu. I just have to look for that huge, black scaly body of the dragon and there you are!" Aomine grinned.

Kuroko smiled. He had gotten close to Aomine after he had woken up – close enough that Aomine even gave him a nickname – and a surprisingly strong bond was formed between them.

They sat themselves down around Kuroko, keeping a respectful distance from the dragon. It wasn't that they didn't trust the dragon, just that the black dragon was temperamental about anyone coming too close, especially when he was with Kuroko. Basically, he came overprotective.

Even Kuroko couldn't do anything about that behaviour. And Akashi apparently wasn't going to attempt to do anything, in fact, he seemed to find it amusing.

The black dragon has never once attacked them after all, though he enjoys scaring them once in a while.

Kuroko gratefully ate the snacks Murasakibara made, relaxing in the peaceful atmosphere. The chirping of birds and the gentle rustling of tree leaves formed a soothing lullaby. And when there was a sudden lack of murmuring voices around him, a glance to the side told him that the rest had fallen asleep.

He smiled at the sight, turning his head to look over at Akashi. He was the only one still awake, even the black dragon was sleeping. Kuroko took a deep breath of the clean, crisp air and then slowly exhaled while his eyes roamed about, looking at nothing in particular.

After a while, he spoke.

"Akashi-kun."

"Yes?"

"Are you not going back to sleep since your assigned duty is fulfilled?" Kuroko asked.

"What's with that sudden question?" Akashi raised his eyebrow. "I won't, not yet. Now, you are my 'reason' for not returning into sleep just yet."

"I see." Kuroko smiled.

He softly whispered, "I'm no longer alone, am I?"

Akashi glanced over at Kuroko, knowing eyes watching him for a moment. "That's right. You're not alone anymore," he replied, voice equally soft. "Kise, Midorima, Aomine, Murasakibara and of course, your dragon, Astaroth. We will all be with you."

"Even you, Akashi-kun?"

"Including me."

"Always?" Kuroko murmured, staring up at the brilliantly bright blue sky.

Akashi shifted, taking in Kuroko's serene expression.

He smiled.

"Yes. Always, until your soul meets its end."

* * *

 **End**


End file.
